Almost three-quarters (72%) of distribution executives believe electric vehicle (EV) growth globally will be more rapid than the speed at which the necessary grid capacity can be built to accommodate them, states a report by consultancy Accenture.

electrical grids silhouetted by a sunset
Electrical grids in Iraq, January 2021. (Photo by Asaad Niazi/ AFP via Getty Images)

The research, surveying 250 such executives, argues electricity grids are ill-prepared to respond to structural changes in energy generation and consumption caused by the deployment of low-carbon technologies.

Distributed generation, more active customers and widespread electrification will all potentially place strain on grids.

Low-carbon technologies such as EVs and solar PV will “exist in clusters” largely dictated by demographics. This could lead to localised stress on the network, adds the report.

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The development of a regulatory framework would help to boost future network resilience, the report states. Eighty per cent of respondents believe regulators are waiting for distribution businesses to propose models that incentivise flexibility.