Regional network operator trials EV chargers installed in streetlight poles

New South Wales state-owned electricity grid operator Essential Energy has begun a four-week trial of electric vehicle (EV) charging mounted in streetlight poles.

A prototype streetlight EV charger has been installed in Port Macquarie to trial the concept, which is designed to be low-impact and convenient in the hopes that the technology can be rolled out across regional NSW.

Some EV chargers have been mounted on power poles. Streetlight EV charging eliminates the need for additional infrastructure by incorporating an EV charger into the streetlight and connecting to the existing electricity supply used to power the streetlight.

This not only avoids additional infrastructure but minimises underground earthworks, thus reducing the visual and environmental impact. Moreover, streetlights are generally already situated near street curbs and parking spaces, and the electricity network used to power streetlights already exists throughout much of regional and rural NSW.

In addition to expanding publicly available EV charging, streetlight EV charging also presents an opportunity to deliver EV charging to people who live in housing that cannot be retrofitted with charging facilities, opening the door for even more people to buy an EV.

Essential Energy partnered with EV charging company EVX and Australian manufacturer of Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Structural Profile composite fibre technology, Wagners Composite Fibre Technologies (CFT) to custom design a fully integrated streetlight EV charger for the trial.

“By combining innovative technologies with public infrastructure, this new approach to deploying much needed EV charging allows councils to potentially roll out new public EV chargers easily and cost-effectively at scale and in convenient locations,” said Andrew Foster, CEO of EVX.

“Importantly, the ability to utilise pre-existing infrastructure instead of adding new electrical assets to the streetscape is anticipated to make it simpler for councils to navigate crucial planning considerations, especially when it comes to assessing the public impacts of expanding EV charging capabilities.”

In addition to helping to develop a streetlight EV charger, EVX has already rolled out pole-mounted kerbside charging across NSW – in Sydney, holiday destination Hawks Nest, and Byron Bay.

The prototype streetlight EV charger being trialled in Port Macquarie comprises a composite streetlight column with a cavity designed to completely house an EV charger.

“Essential Energy has been working in partnership with Wagners and EVX to develop a product that provides a faster and easier way to roll out more EV charging,” said Justin Hillier, chief commercial officer of Essential Energy.

“The innovation of the streetlight EV charger also provides the opportunity for people who live in housing that can’t be retrofitted with charging facilities to purchase EVs, as well as offering top-up charging for tourists and locals.

“Enabling more options for charging across the Essential Energy network is part of our commitment to facilitating the uptake of electric vehicles.”