Octopus Energy secures EV charging project funding

EV infrastructure

With over 5 million electric vehicles forecast to be on the nation's roads by 2050, there concerns over whether the infrastructure needed to support such numbers will be in place. This new round of funding from the BEIS is aimed at two new EV charging infrastructure projects, both of which Octopus Energy will play a leading role in. 

The projects

The first project, Agile Streets received £722,820.96 for its first phase to develop a new purpose-built optimisation platform that will create and set a charging schedule.

The platform will use data from the EV drivers themselves to create charging preferences, new half-hourly charging business tariffs.

The project will also utilise SMETS2 technology that will be used in new on-street control cabinets that will be installed and which will provide power to kerbside charging points via underground cables.

A consortium, including Octopus Energy for Business, Connected Kerb, TS Design Limited, The Energy Saving Trust and the Power Networks Demonstration Centre will run the Agile Street project.

Octopus Energy customers will be able to pay for on-street EV charging through their domestic electricity bill thanks to the platform as well.

The second project, SmartSTEP, received £856,130.00 in funding and will see current smart meter technology be integrated with new street-side charging points. These charging points will be slotted into pavements and accessed via users.

In short, the two projects will explore how smart metering systems for electric vehicles (EVs) can enable on-street charging infrastructure to use electricity when it is at its cheapest and greenest, in a bid to help expand access to EVs while simultaneously balancing the electricity grid.

“Whether on streets, at petrol stations or in the home, we need electric vehicle chargers to be accessible everywhere if the green energy revolution is to keep powering ahead.



‘We’re incredibly proud to have been picked to lead, together with our partners, the development of the next generation of charging infrastructure, enabled by smart meters, with these two projects. Creating an effortless smart charging network is crucial to dispel concerns of EV critics and accelerate the electrification of transport,” said Zoisa Walton, director of Octopus Energy for Business. 

Phase one of the trials began in July 2020. 

Further Reading

What do Energy Supply companies need to consider when selling Electricity to EV owners?

Electric car ownership must rise 11,000% for the UK to hit Net-zero target

Number of consumers switching energy supplier increased again in July and Smart Meter Installations jumped 120%

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