12.2.2013 University seeks EV owners for survey

Researchers from the Durham Energy Institute (DEI) at Durham University are looking for people who own or regularly use electric cars to be interviewed.

The interviews are to be used for part of a project investigating the relationship the vehicles could have on home-generated power in the future.

The North East region has a network of electric car charging points thanks to initiatives like "Charge your Car". The fact that newer, fast-charging vehicles take around only 30 minutes to restore their batteries make electric cars an increasingly viable option for local journeys.

Should electric cars become more common in our future transport system, demand for electricity from the National Grid will increase.

Dr Charlotte Adams said: "To meet increased demands without burning more fossil fuels is challenging. However there are a range of currently available domestic-scale renewable energy systems that produce electricity such as solar photo-voltaic systems, roof-mounted wind turbines and combined heat and power systems similar to a conventional domestic gas boiler, but which produce electricity as well as heat."

"These micro-generators can be fitted to a house to help meet electricity demands and through its Feed-in-Tariff scheme, the UK government offers financial benefits for people who use their homes as mini-power stations."

"Because the greatest benefits of micro-generation systems are realised when the electricity produced is used at the home where generators are installed, we're investigating the relationship between electric vehicles and micro-generators and whether the demands from electric cars could be met by energy systems installed at the home."

The project involves a unique collaboration between the departments of Engineering and Computing Sciences and Anthropology that will investigate the technical issues surrounding where and when people choose to charge their electric vehicles, which micro-generation systems fit best with the demand from electric cars.

Researchers will also talk to electric car owners and users about their experiences with them and whether they have actually changed their lifestyles in order to accommodate this new technology.

In October, Sergio Roldan and Giannis Sarrigiannis, who are both studying Renewable Energy at DEI, made a successful roundtrip in the DEI’s electric car, a Mitsubishi I-MiEV, to Cardiff to attend the Low Carbon Networks Fund Annual Conference there.

DEI's DONG Energy Professor of Renewable Energy Phil Taylor added: "That trip demonstrated the increasing viability of electric vehicles. It's worth remembering of course that most car journeys are much shorter than a round trip to Cardiff! The Department of Transport has found that the average car journey is only 6 and a half miles, with an average daily use of around 22 miles. Nearly 95% of all our car journeys are under 25 miles, well within the range of the average electric car’s charge of around 80 miles."

To find out more, or register for interviews with Durham University then please contact Dr Charlotte Adams at Durham Energy Institute, via 0191 334 2649 or by email at dei.admin@durham.ac.uk