As more people purchase electric vehicles, more load will be placed on our existing electrical and power infrastructure. For multi-apartment complexes that provide charging stations for their residents, multiple EVs charge simultaneously, since most EV owners charge at home, will become routine. This means the building must carry the total capacity of the charging stations, especially when most tenants are home and plugged in.
In this scenario, power management is important and is key for the growth of EVs. However, what is power management when it comes to EV charging, and why is it crucial to the growth of EVs? Keep reading the rest of this article to find out.
What is power management in EV charging?
Power management ensures that the power supplied to a building is used most efficiently. It automatically detects when and where the power is needed the most, helping to maximize existing infrastructure.
When it comes to EV charging, power management ensures that the power available is distributed to all active charging stations. It dynamically ensures that optimal charging is provided to each charging station.
Why is power management important for the growth of EVs?
Without power management, setting up charging infrastructure will be more expensive. To illustrate, imagine a building with only 100A available for charging EVs. If a Level 2 charging station requires 30A, this means the building can only install three stations. If the building wants to set up a fourth charger, it will need a new electrical service, costing tens of thousands of dollars.
However, with efficient power management, the existing power infrastructure can add more than 15 new chargers at no extra cost, with the same 100A used to charge all the cars at the same time.
Power management also simplifies the process. With a traditional charging system, each charger will require a separate meter at an additional cost. However, power management allows all the chargers to be connected to a single meter.
Moreover, power management helps to avoid reaching peak power consumption, which would result in a higher utility rate from your utility network operator.
By implementing power management technologies, existing buildings can easily support multiple EV charging stations, a vital factor in making EVs more practical for everyday use.
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