EV investment increasing

Strong interest in electric vehicle chargers, with $5 million invested in this technology, is among Commerce Commission findings from electricity lines companies’ investments in emerging tech.

“But there is uncertainty about the impact EVs will have on networks in the near future and the ability of lines companies to manage increased loads,” commission deputy chair Sue Begg says.

“This will depend on the pace of technological advancement in terms of battery range and charging speed, as well as the affordability of EVs for New Zealanders.”

New technologies that will benefit consumers such as EV chargers, network batteries, smart meters and solar photovoltaics (PV) are expected to present opportunities and challenges for the electricity sector.

Begg says the commission wanted to learn more about the technologies lines companies are investing in, what impact the technologies are having on their respective networks, and how they are accounting for their investments within the current regulatory regime.

The data gathered may also help inform the Government’s electricity pricing review.

“Line companies’ investment in emerging technologies is still relatively small, and to date has been focussed on research and development,” Begg says.

“Vector is the largest investor of the lines companies, devoting about 5% of its overall regulated expenditure to emerging technologies compared with the industry average of 1%. As this expenditure is still embryonic, we have not yet formed views on how these investments might be affecting competition in markets adjacent to electricity networks.”

Begg says it’s also apparent that some lines companies are unsure about how to treat their investments under the current regulations.

“We believe some may be inappropriately recovering the cost through their existing regulated services and we will be seeking to better understand the reasoning for the approaches they have taken.”

The commission’s report was compiled through an information request to lines companies across the country.