Chapter 3 - Phase two: Smart charging long-term approach, call for evidence Context As described in the 2019 smart charging consultation, additional requirements beyond smart chargepoint devices themselves will be needed to meet Government’s policy objectives for smart charging. These future requirements go beyond the device-only powers of the AEV Act, and would be placed on entities that can control chargepoints, such as chargepoint operators, electricity aggregators, and electricity suppliers. This could subject these entities to a form of regulation on their wider operations, including the systems being used to remotely control chargepoints.
The consultation referred to this potential future regulation as Phase Two and asked a series of questions in the format of a call for evidence (referred to as the “call for evidence” below). Decision on a long-term approach The call for evidence proposed to use the Phase One policy principles of grid protection, consumer protection, consumer uptake and innovation as criteria to determine the best solution for Phase Two. Government suggested that a Phase Two solution needed to be in place by 2025, and that a decision on a solution was therefore required between 2020 and 2022. Several factors were proposed to help determine an appropriate decision point.
Most respondents agreed that Government should make a decision on Phase Two regulation between 2020 and 2022, with 2020 being the most popular response. Most respondents also agreed with the factors proposed to help determine an appropriate decision point. Government will be continuing with the phased approach for smart charging legislation, as outlined in the 2019 smart charging consultation. The Phase One legislation, as described in the chapters 1 and 2 of this response, will not deliver interoperability, nor mitigate energy system risks including cyber security and grid stability.
Whilst Government considers the Phase One proposals a good first step towards addressing some of these risks, they cannot be appropriately mitigated using device-level legislation alone. It is therefore essential that Government takes further action to mitigate the potential risks posed by smart charging. Since the publication of the Phase Two call for evidence, Government has increased the scope of policy development in this area to take a more holistic approach across a broad range of smart devices and systems, beyond EV smart chargepoints alone. Future policy development will consider wider organisations performing a “load 25