Regional and metropolitan areas that lack electric vehicles charging facilities may soon get some relief, with the Australian Energy Market Commission releasing a draft rule that will allow networks to play the key role in supporting a $40 million Commonwealth scheme.

The rule change means that networks will identify sites, including regional blackspot charging and high-density kerbside areas in cities where customers have limited access to off-street charging, and be required to offer them first to commercial operators.

But the plan has been criticised by some in the industry because they say it may give networks an unfair advantage and may lock in higher energy costs for all drivers.

AEMC chair Anna Collyer told The Driven that a key “time-limited tweak” to the rules would enable the recovery of some of infrastructure costs related to the federal Accelerating EV Charging Program from electricity customers in the network,

EVs grabbed a record share of almost a quarter of the new car market in Australia last month. Tensions in the Middle East have kept petrol and diesel prices elevated amid ongoing supply concerns, a combination that may spur more consumers to go electric especially as more models become available.

Collyer said the take-up of more EVs will also help improve the appeal for commercial operators to install more chargers. The design of the federal program, though, was specifically aimed at not disrupting competition.

“The way the program operates is that the networks have to identify sites, and those sites have to first be offered to the commercial market,” she said.

Source link