From 1 July 2019 there were some significant changes to the OLEV Homecharge Scheme, which gives customers up to £350 off the cost of a new charging station at residential premises.
Charging stations being installed under the scheme by OLEV-approved installers must be SMART-enabled – in other words be able to receive, process, monitor and record data, to be accessed remotely and have measures making it resilient to cyber-attack. These changes are also designed to regulate loads as the demand for charging increases in the future. SMART stations must be able to:
- Receive and process information
- React to information received, by adjusting the rate of charging or discharging
- Monitor, record and transmit data about energy consumption
- To be able to be accessed remotely, via Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), version 1.6 (or above)
- Have appropriate security measures resilient to cyber-attack
- Communications must have an appropriate level of encryption to prevent interception from un-authorised third parties
The SMART update is in line with the government's Road to Zero strategy, which outlined a series of measures that would commit the UK to 100% zero emission vehicles by 2040.
When the update was announced in December, Jesse Norman, Roads Minister, said: "The government wants the UK to be the best place in the world to build and own an electric vehicle, and through leadership and innovation it is paving the way to a zero emission future. We have already supported the installation of over 100,000 home chargepoints. Now the measures announced today will give more people the opportunity to make the move to electric."
View all the SMART-enabled chargers available at Replenishh, including the new eoMini Pro.
Replenishh supplies charging stations by Schneider Electric and EO, and provides training courses to help OLEV-approved electrical contractors specify, install and maintain these units. For further information about becoming part of the Replenishh installation network please contact Jim Rugg (07747 460443/Jim.Rugg@replenishh.com).
