Netherlands targets 70% EVs on smart chargers by 2025

The Netherlands is targeting the deployment of smart chargers for 70% of the country’s electric car drivers as part of a new national incentive program aimed at reaching the goal by the middle of the decade.

The Netherlands is one of the world’s leading electric vehicle markets. As a recent International Energy Agency report notes, it has the third-largest uptake, globally, with one in three cars now sold powered by a battery.

Announced last week by a working group within the country’s National Agenda Charging Infrastructure (NAL), the new ‘Smart Charging for Everyone’ program will be a temporary national incentive designed to manage the large-scale application of smart charging across the Netherlands.

The program will engage multiple parties including users, market parties, governments, and network operators, in its, with the goal of the program being to reach a point where smart charging is the standard across the country.

Smart charging involves a third party, such as an electric utility, controlling the charging and discharge of an electric vehicle so as to best benefit the grid and to make the most of electricity when it is at it’s cheapest.

For example, common smart charging would see an electric vehicle connected to a low-voltage home charging station, with charging taking place during the middle of the day when solar electricity generation is at its highest and, therefore, at its cheapest, or during the middle of the night from renewable storage reserves, when demand is at its lowest.

From a technological point of view, smart charging requires a data connection between the electric vehicle, charging station, and the charging operator or electric utility.

Smart charging is not only technically beneficial for the grid and grid operators but also serves to save users money, as their electric vehicles are charged when electricity is at its cheapest. Moreover, when EVs are connected to the grid using vehicle-to-grid technology, users can also reap the benefit of selling their stored electricity back to the grid during periods of high demand.

Improving charging operations across the Netherlands and building the necessary power requirements to power increasing levels of EV charging is the focus of the National Agenda Charging Infrastructure (NAL), billed as a multi-year policy agenda aimed at making charging options more accessible and prevalent across the country.

The NAL is made up of government ministry’s in partnership with several non-governmental agencies, grid operators, and the Formula E-Team (FET).

Market consultation for the Netherlands’ proposed Smart Charging for Everyone programme is expected to take place from March, while the programme itself will run through to 2025, at which point it is expected the smart charging market will be able to stand on its own.

Those looking to participate in the opening consultation period can sign up and learn more in the NAL’s online brochure.