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Rapid DC EV Chargers Approved for WA’s Charge Up Grant

Rapid DC EV Chargers Approved for WA’s Charge Up Grant

Aerial view of a Perth road at sunset

Are you thinking of installing rapid DC chargers for your business in Western Australia? Here’s how you could potentially save tens of thousands of dollars and generate additional revenue.

The Charge Up Workplace EV Charging Grants offer an amazing opportunity for WA businesses to install EV charging stations at around 50% of the full cost. Round Two of the grant applications is coming soon with new incentives for rapid DC EV chargers. So, now’s a great time to get up to speed on the details.

Keep reading for the benefits, how to apply, and tips for budget-friendly installation.

Just want a quick quote for the grant? Contact us here.

Would your business site suit a rapid DC EV charger?

Rapid DC EV chargers suit busy locations near main roads and highways for public EV charging and businesses with a fleet of electric vehicles. Some of the suggested uses for the grants include:

  • Company fleets made up of multiple electric vehicles.
  • Business car parks where employees, clients and/or visitors might want to charge their EVs.
  • Destination charging where people spend a few hours during the day. These could include destinations like wineries, cafés, beaches, swimming pools and cultural attractions.

While the first round of the WA grants were for 7 kW to 22 kW AC chargers (Level 2), the second round will also incentivise rapid DC charging (Level 3). If you’re successful at applying, the grant can cover around half of the costs to purchase and install EV chargers. This also includes most of the cost of smart charging software for two years.

Advantages for businesses with rapid DC chargers

Lots of EV drivers will actively seek out rapid DC charging sites, because they can charge their vehicles faster. These chargers sites can offer advantages for lots of businesses, as well as being particularly profitable if available for public charging. For example:

  • Benefits for tourism and hospitality businesses:
    Your business could benefit from more customers who are encouraged to visit your premises. You could generate revenue by charging for power use, or offer free charging as an added incentive.
  • Benefits for business carparks:
    Rapid DC chargers in your organisation’s carpark can demonstrate your brand’s commitment to sustainability. This can enhance brand perception to visitors, employees and the general public.
  • Benefits for business fleets:
    And if you are running a business fleet, the benefits can include fast charging, greater productivity, and a happier employee base.
Cafe customers enjoying a meal while they wait for their EV to be charged with a rapid DC charger.
Rapid DC chargers could inspire customers to visit your premises, bringing in extra revenue and interest in your business.

How much potential revenue are we talking with a rapid DC charger?

While the revenue from a rapid DC charger will depend on your site traffic and how much you charge, let’s look at an example with one of our own clients:

A NSW client is looking to install an 80kW DC charger at their brewery site. If this charger sees an average of just 4 hours of use per day, it will potentially generate $64,240.00 revenue per year for the business.

So, who’s eligible for the WA Charge Up grants?

A range of businesses could be eligible for Round Two of the Charge Up Workplace EV Charging Grants, including:

  • Small (<20 employees) and medium (20-199 employees) enterprises
  • Registered not-for-profits
  • Local government authorities.

What else do I need to factor in when applying?

Considering likely charging hours
The Charge Up grants are focused on chargers that will be predominantly used during daylight hours (9am to 5pm) and after the evening peak (from 9pm to 9am). So if most charging use is likely to be largely between 5pm and 9pm (say, for a restaurant), you may not be eligible. Or may need to increase the cost to charge during peak grid demand periods. However, there are a lot of businesses that could benefit from off-peak-hour charging.

Meeting the installation deadlines
Round One applicants had a maximum of 180 days to install the charger(s) after being approved. Keep in mind any time considerations that may apply for Round Two. It’s important that the provider and installer you choose will be able to meet any deadline requirements. The official grant page has further details on guidelines and eligibility.

Can I charge for rapid DC charger use under the grant rules?

If you’re approved for a Charge Up grant, you can choose who can use the chargers you install. You could offer free charging; keep charging available to employees only; or charge drivers through EV charging software that supports billing. As an example, charging on average 4 hours per day using our Smappee EV Base Ultra, an 80kW DC charging station, businesses could generate $176 of revenue per day. Multiply that by 365 days in a year and you’re looking at $65k (before factoring in running costs). This is based on a standard rate of $0.55 per kWh, which is quite normal for rapid charging stations.

Approved suppliers for the Charge Up Grant

Businesses applying to the Charge Up Workplace EV Charging Grants will need to submit a quote for EV chargers and software from the approved list of providers.

Vista Power Technologies is listed as a turn key solution provider and works closely with local companies to deliver a complete package.

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What’s the go with EV charging software?

Eligible businesses will be required to use one of the approved EV charging software options in order to get grant funding. This allows you to provide data on how your chargers are being used, but can also help you manage energy use, detect maintenance issues, and manage billing (if you intend to charge).

VPT is an approved supplier of Chargefox and ChargeN’Go software for Round Two. We recommend these software options because they make billing and management simple and are both popular with EV drivers. Chargefox and ChargeN’Go are both compatible with the Smappee EV Ultra DC fast chargers, which are our recommended hardware product for rapid-charge business applications.

Obtaining quotes for your application

You can get multiple quotes from multiple approved providers when applying for the WA grants. It’s helpful to know that some providers, like our team at Vista Power Technologies, can put together a turn key quote that includes everything from products and install, to software. This can make it a lot easier to get started with your application.

There can be a few important details for DC chargers such as dynamic load management and potential power upgrades, so working with a reputable provider will help you get the best out of your investment.   

Because a quote will involve assessing existing electrical infrastructure, a site inspection is required. It’s best to book this in as early as possible to ensure you can submit your grant application in time.

Not all EV chargers are compatible with all EV charging software options, so it can be helpful to start with the software you want to use and go on to explore compatible charging hardware.

Need finance for your rapid DC charger install?

While the Charge Up grants cover around 50% of the overheads to install rapid DC chargers, these chargers can cost more to install than the slower AC chargers. We are in touch with reputable finance providers that we can recommend if you are looking to finance the costs for supply and installation or your chargers.

How to apply

Round Two of the Charge Up Workplace EV Charging Grants is set to open for applications in November 2023. 

You can sign up to the grant mailing list to receive alerts about Round Two and future funding rounds.

Once Round Two applications are open, you’ll be able to apply through the official online portal.  

And if you have any questions about EV chargers or finding the right option for your site, you can contact our team at Vista Power Technologies. We’re Melbourne-based and assist businesses all across Australia with smart charging solutions.

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8 Smappee-Compatible EV CPO Services in Australia  

8 Smappee-Compatible EV CPO Services in Australia  

It can feel like there are almost as many CPO services as there are EV chargers – so how do you choose the right option? You’ll no doubt want an easy way to manage EV billing and charging for your public site, business, strata apartment block or anywhere else you might have Smappee charging stations installed.

Keep reading for our roundup of the best Smappee-compatible CPO services available in Australia right now.

What is an EV CPO service?

A Charge Point Operator service, or CPO platform, is software that enables you to remotely manage and monetise multiple charging stations. Think of it as your EV back office system, where you can see information like status, power consumption and costs. Some platforms can help you to manage public EV charging, some help to manage EV fleet charging, and some can be used to manage multi-user accounts like those at strata properties.

A CPO service can also be referred to as an EV charging station management solution (CSMS) or charging management platform.

What criteria should a EV CPO service meet?

If your site is in Australia, it’s important to look for a CPO service that:

  • Is available and supported in Australia.
  • Supports the remote management of your specific electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). For example, you may be looking for a CPO platform that’s compatible with the Smappee EV Wall or Smappee EV Base.
  • Suits your charging, billing and analytics purposes. Apartment blocks can have different needs to fleet charging.
  • Is compatible with the Open Charge Point Protocol 1.6 (OCPP 1.6) for integration.
  • Is intuitive to use on your smartphone or browser, and
  • Is approved for grants in your area, if you’re applying for any.

So based on the criteria above, here are eight leading options. Pricing guides were correct at the time of writing, but be sure to check directly with the provider for up-to-date pricing.

7 top CPO platforms in Australia you can use with Smappee

1. Chargefox

Suitable for: Public EV charging, shopping centres, retailers, councils, commercial fleets, apartment buildings.

Chargefox is Australia’s largest EV charging network, managing over 10,000 EV charge sessions a month. Not only do they have an intuitive app for drivers, but they also have software for charge point operators that enables real-time monitoring and remote management of charging stations. You can set dynamic pricing for on-peak and off-peak hours, and manage RFID cards across commercial fleets.

Chargefox is already being used to manage chargers at major shopping centres around the country and is set to be used for WA’s new 7,000km EV charging network. We’ve set up many solutions already using Smappee and Chargefox, so we know it’s a solid choice in Australia.

Pricing guide:

Chargefox offers a tiered pricing model, starting at $330 per annum per charge port for public subscription and $165.00 per annum per charge port for private subscription. Visit the website for a quote.

2. Noodoe EV OS

Suitable for: Public EV charging, commercial fleets, public fleets, resellers, hospitality, residential charging, retailers.

The Noodoe EV operating system is used across 14 countries, and the company has an office in Queensland as well as the US and Taiwan. Noodoe has a clean and modern interface for charge point operators, where you can see real-time snapshots of your charging stations and automate payment processing and smart scheduling.

Noodoe is structured with add-on microservices that you can use to meet your needs. For example:

  • Retailers could offer free charging voucher codes to attract EV drivers to local sales.
  • Building managers can customise their billing system to be prepaid or postpaid.
  • Hotels can create integrated membership systems with different rates for different users, or offer charging codes to guests or VIPs.
  • CPOs can enable Load Management to ideally balance multiple chargers without needing electrical upgrades.

Another great feature is Noodoe’s smart alert and self-recovery system, which helps provide peace of mind about your charging points.

Pricing guide:

Pricing begins at $149.99 per annum per charge port, plus a percentage of each public transaction. You can visit the website to book a demo and request a quote.

3. Charge N Go

Suitable for: Public EV chargers, shopping centres, retailers, councils, commercial fleets, apartment buildings.

Charge N Go EVNet provides a solution for private, shared and commercial charger management. Its modular structure means it can be customised to suit your application, whether you’re managing charging stations at a shopping centre or within a strata property. This platform is feature-rich with automated billing and payments, load management, API integration and flexible user management. You can also gain insights into your charging management through usage, costing and charging session analysis.

The Charge N Go platform has been used for clients including Knight Frank, apartment blocks and condominiums, and the Lumi rideshare service.

Pricing guide:

Charge N Go’s platform fee is $275.00 platform fee per annum per connector for Public EV charging. For apartments and business use, enquire about the community package at $225 per annum per connector. There’s a management fee of $0.10 per kWh, and an optional 4G data package is also available.

4. GreenFlux

Suitable for: Public EV chargers, shopping centres, retailers, commercial fleets.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, GreenFlux has been around for over a decade and is used across five continents. GreenFlux’s CPO software is a solid option for smart EV charging, so you can have multiple cars charging simultaneously without overloading the grid. You can also use GreenFlux to easily handle reimbursement billing for employees, wholesale billing to other CPOs, and retail billing complete with invoices for customers.

With APIs and a white label option for their Charge Assist app, GreenFlux is flexible enough to suit a range of different EV charging needs.

Pricing guide:

GreenFlux pricing depends on the solution you require – visit the GreenFlux website for a demo and tailored pricing.

5. Charge Hub

Suitable for: Public charging, electric bus fleets, electric forklift fleets, solar carports, apartment buildings.

Charge Hub is a locally supported CPO software option, with a base in Brisbane and coverage across Australia and New Zealand. Charge Hub promises up-time availability of 99.9%, together with dynamic load management and options for fixed or dynamic tariffs.

Charge Hub gives you options for payment management, so you can choose pay-as-you-go or invoice driver accounts collectively at the end of the month. You can also set different prices for different groups of users, which is useful if you want to offer free charging for staff while charging the general public at the same station. It’s easy to see data such as time spent charging, per kWh used and idle time.

Pricing guide:

Charge Hub has tiered pricing, starting at $280+GST per annum per charge port for public access and $180+GST per annum per charge port for semi-public access. Visit the website to arrange a quote.

6. Chargebay

Suitable for: Public EV charging, commercial fleets, public fleets, apartments, retailers.

Chargebay offers a comprehensive EV billing and management platform. You can set flexible pricing modes across different customer groups based on a flat rate per charge, charging or waiting time, location, or by other criteria. Or, you might prefer to simply maintain reporting and access control for a fleet at a lower rate without the bells and whistles. Chargebay supports dynamic load balancing to help you get the best out of your existing EV charging setup (and rooftop solar systems, if applicable), and reporting makes it easy to keep an eye on what’s happening with your charging points.  

Chargebay also offers 24/7 customer support, with physical locations in WA and Victoria.

Pricing guide:

Chargebay offers tiered pricing plans based on one year and two year subscriptions, with the ability to choose from Reporting and Access Control only or Paid Charging Sessions depending on how you plan to manage and monetise your chargers. Visit the website to request a quote.

7. WeVolt

Suitable for: Individuals and businesses wanting to monetise their charging stations with a simple solution, including strata buildings.

WeVolt is a homegrown startup originating in Perth, Western Australia. WeVolt launched in August 2023 so it’s still early days, but the platform allows individuals and businesses to manage and receive real-time payments from their EV charging stations. You can use the fresh-looking app, or log into the browser-based platform to see electricity usage and payment details. WeVolt seems well suited for those wanting a simple solution without complex management features, though the company is able to set up custom solutions for large networks.

Pricing guide:

WeVolt has a tiered pricing plan for those with single chargers, multiple chargers and at the enterprise level. The best way is to get in touch for pricing via the website.

8. CasaCharge

Suitable for: Home EV charging, apartment charging, public charging and fleet charging.

CasaCharge is another Australian CPO solution compatible with Smappee EV chargers, which promises lower operating costs with its billing and load management service. It’s simple to log in and view usage statistics, sessions in progress and manage RFID cards. Phone and email support is local to Sydney, so you’re never on your own.

Pricing guide:

Visit the CasaCharge website to request a quote and get further details on pricing.

If you provide a Smappee-compatible CPO service in Australia that’s not yet listed, please get in touch so we can add your service!

Which CPO services are approved for the NSW EV Destination Charging Grant and WA Charge Up Grant?

WA and NSW currently have grant schemes in place to co-fund the cost of EV charging infrastructure in these states. In order to be eligible for either, you’ll need to choose approved charging EV chargers and EV charger software. You can check the individual lists below.

Approved list for the NSW EV Destination Charging Grant >

Approved list for the WA Charge Up Workplace Grant >

Vista Power Technologies is an approved provider for both the WA and NSW grants, and can help with both private and public subscriptions. If you’re looking for the right EV charging solution for your site, we can help you. Contact us today to get started.

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EV Charger Installation Costs in Australia: Homeowner’s Guide

EV Charger Installation Costs in Australia: Homeowner’s Guide

How much does it cost to install an EV charging station in Australia? If you’re one of the many people looking to buy an electric vehicle, you’ll of course be looking for the best solution to charge your car at home – and how much to budget for this.

The costs to add a charging station at your home will include two key categories. These are:

  1. The cost of the charging station hardware itself, and
  2. The cost of installation by a licensed electrician.

So let’s take a closer look at both of these factors.

Cost factor 1: The EV charging hardware

Prices for home EV chargers can vary quite a lot depending on features (or lack of), but the better quality systems begin at around $1,500-2,000. There are two useful features to look for when choosing a home charger.

The first is dynamic load balancing, which can protect your home from blown fuses and overloading. The second is smart charging, which lets you optimise for off-peak rates and solar charging. Smart charging involves a little extra setup, however it can have several benefits. As one example the Smappee EV Wall can support charging that’s up to 6x cheaper, and you can set charging times to suit your preferences.

Quality matters

It’s also really important to choose a quality brand, because these products will be more durable, reliable and intuitive to use. Usability is definitely worth thinking about when you’re using the system every day. We choose to supply the Smappee brand because its EV line is developed in Europe, ticks all the boxes above and has a user-friendly smartphone app for easy management.

Cost factor 2: The installation costs

Home EV charging station installation costs can run anywhere from around $700 for simple systems, into potentially thousands for complex installations. The first thing to consider is whether your electrical supply supports:

  • Single-phase charging of up to 7kW, which runs off standard 240-volt power. This is known as Level 2 charging, and many of the major EV manufacturers recommend this as a minimum level. Or,
  • Three-phase charging, which can charge at a rate of up to 22kW. Depending on your choice of EV, you can potentially charge up to three times faster if your home has three-phase power. However, take note that the AC charging limit is usually set by the car rather than the charger. Many EVs are set to a maximum of 11kW AC charging only.

Installation costs can vary depending on your current power system and if you plan to upgrade (where possible).

How can I tell if I have single or three-phase power?

The easiest way to tell if you have single or three-phase power is to look at the main circuit breaker of your switchboard. Single-phase households will have a single-pole breaker. Meanwhile, three-phase households will have a three-pole breaker. Most residential homes in Australia will have single-phase power.

Installation costs will also depend on how close the switchboard is to the installation point.

Some install cost examples

Where the switchboard and charging station are on either side of a wall, you might expect installation costs of around $600 for single-phase power and $800 for three-phase power.

If yours is a single-storey home with accessible roof space and installation up to 15 metres from the switchboard, you may be looking at installation costs of around $750-990 for single-phase power and $950-1300 for three-phase power.

And if yours is a double-storey home where the cable needs to be run from one side of the house to the other (known as up and over), this tends to add around $400-800 to the installation cost.

Of course, the numbers above are ballpark figures. Costs will vary based on your location and local trades.

Your installer will work with you to find the best location for your property and budget.

Other considerations for installation costs

You may also need to factor more into your installation budget in the following cases:

  • If monitoring equipment and/or extra communications cabling needs to be installed for smart charging features
  • If any trenching is required
  • If your switchboard doesn’t have enough spaces
  • If the EV charger requires a type-B RCD installed. It’s worth noting that many chargers include type-B or 6mA earth leakage protection. Or,
  • If you plan to upgrade to three-phase power.

To sum up

Although there can be some initial setup costs for home EV charging, you could soon be enjoying very low running costs for every kilometre you drive. The savings over time speak for themselves!

Get a quote for EV charger installation costs

Want to get pricing for your own home? Vista Power Technologies is the ideal first point of contact for EV charging at home. Our Melbourne team can ask the right questions and tailor a setup and quote to suit your needs without obligation. Contact us to today for pricing and advice, right across Australia.

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The Ultimate Guide to Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Australia

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The Ultimate Guide to Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Australia

Smappee EV Wall Charging station
Smappee EV Wall Smart Charging Station

As the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow in Australia, the demand for accessible and reliable EV charging stations has never been higher. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about electric vehicle charging stations in the land Down Under, from the different types of stations available to their locations and benefits.

A Quick Overview of Electric Vehicle Charging

Before diving into the details, let’s first establish a basic understanding of electric vehicle charging. EV charging stations, sometimes referred to as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), provide the necessary power to charge an electric vehicle’s battery. Charging stations can be found in various public locations, as well as installed at homes and workplaces.

There are three primary levels of EV charging:

  1. Level 1 Charging: This is the slowest form of charging, using a standard 120-volt household outlet. It provides about 3-6 kilometers of range per hour of charging.
  2. Level 2 Charging: This method uses a 240-volt power source and is the most common type of charging for homes and public locations. Level 2 charging provides approximately 20-30 kilometers of range per hour of charging.
  3. DC Fast Charging: Also known as Level 3 charging, this method uses direct current (DC) to charge EV batteries at a much faster rate, providing around 100-200 kilometers of range in just 30 minutes.

Now that we have a basic understanding of EV charging let’s dive into the world of charging stations in Australia.

Types of Charging Stations in Australia

There are several types of charging stations available in Australia to cater to the diverse needs of EV owners. Here are the most common types:

  1. Public Charging Stations: These stations are located in various public areas such as shopping centers, parking lots, and highway rest stops. They often provide Level 2 and DC Fast Charging options to accommodate a wide range of electric vehicles.
  2. Destination Charging Stations: These stations are typically installed at popular destinations like hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. They provide EV owners with a convenient way to recharge their vehicles while enjoying their visit. Smappee EV charging stations, for example, have been installed at the Stone and Wood Brewery in Byron Bay (see Project), offering visitors a unique and sustainable charging experience.
  3. Home Charging Stations: Home charging stations are designed for private use and are typically installed in a garage or driveway. They offer Level 1 or Level 2 charging and allow EV owners to charge their vehicles overnight or during off-peak hours.

Charging Networks in Australia

Several charging networks operate throughout Australia, providing EV owners with a seamless charging experience. Some of the most popular networks include:

  1. Chargefox: Chargefox is Australia’s largest EV charging network, with over 1,000 charging stations across the country. Their network offers a mix of Level 2 and DC Fast Charging stations, allowing EV owners to charge their vehicles quickly and conveniently. Chargefox has also integrated with Smappee chargers, offering a smart and efficient charging solution.
  2. Tesla Superchargers: Specifically designed for Tesla vehicles, the Tesla Supercharger network provides fast and reliable charging for Tesla owners. These stations are strategically located along major routes, enabling long-distance travel with minimal charging stops.
  3. ChargePoint: ChargePoint is another popular charging network in Australia, offering a variety of charging options, including Level 2 and DC Fast Charging stations.

Benefits of Using Public Charging Infrastructure

Utilizing public charging infrastructure offers numerous benefits for EV owners:

  1. Convenience: Public charging stations are strategically located to provide easy access for EV owners, making charging on-the-go a hassle-free experience.
  2. Speed: Speed is another significant benefit of public charging infrastructure. With Level 2 and DC Fast Charging stations readily available, EV owners can recharge their vehicles much faster than relying solely on Level 1 charging at home.
  3. Accesibility: As the number of public charging stations continues to grow, EV owners will have more options for charging their vehicles, no matter where they travel within Australia.
  1. Sustainability: By using public charging infrastructure, EV owners are actively contributing to a greener, more sustainable future by reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.

How to Find Charging Stations in Australia

Locating charging stations in Australia has never been easier, thanks to various apps and websites designed to help EV owners find the nearest charging point. Some popular options include:

  1. PlugShare: PlugShare is a comprehensive global database of EV charging stations, with a user-friendly app and website that allow you to search for charging points based on your location or route.
  2. Chargefox App: The Chargefox app enables you to find charging stations within their network, providing real-time information on station availability and charging status.
  3. Tesla’s In-car Navigation: For Tesla owners, the in-car navigation system automatically calculates the most convenient charging stops based on your destination and remaining battery life.

Smappee Chargers: Smart Charging for a Better EV Experience

Smappee’s line of smart chargers, including the Smappee EV Wall, offer a superior charging experience for EV owners. With features such as load balancing, energy monitoring, and integration with solar power systems, Smappee chargers ensure efficient and eco-friendly charging.

In addition, Smappee chargers are compatible with various electric vehicle models, including popular options like the BYO Atto 3, Tesla, and Nissan Leaf. By choosing a Smappee charger, you’re not only investing in a smarter charging solution but also contributing to a more sustainable future.

In Conclusion

Australia’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure is rapidly expanding, offering EV owners more options and convenience than ever before. By understanding the different types of charging stations, the popular charging networks, and the benefits of using public charging infrastructure, you can make the most of your electric vehicle experience. And with innovative charging solutions like Smappee chargers, you can ensure that your EV charging is efficient, sustainable, and smart.

So, go ahead and explore the world of electric vehicle charging stations in Australia and join the growing community of eco-conscious drivers. The future of transportation is electric, and it’s never been easier to be a part of it!

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Guide to Smart EV Charging in Strata Car Parking

Smappee EV Charging Strata Car Park

Guide to Smart EV Charging in Strata Car Parking

Smappee’s EV Line Providing Smart AC and DC EV Charging Solutions

Many would agree that an oversimplified yet accurate way to describe installing and managing EV charging in a strata car park would be somewhat complicated.

The following guide provides insights and important considerations when looking into EV charging in a strata complex. Also provided is a list of solutions that can be combined to make the process much more palatable and manageable.

Key considerations include:

  • Power Monitoring to Determine Capacity
  • Electrical Infrastructure Requirements
  • Load Management to Prevent Overload
  • Usage Reporting to Allocate Costs
  • Automating Electricity Cost Recovery
  • Sourcing Finance for Project Costs

As the authorised agent for Smappee in Australia, and experts in energy monitoring and EV charging, Vista Power Technologies can provide a solution to all the above hurdles. This makes implementing an EV charging network within a strata facility as simple as it can be, by leveraging the latest technologies and best practices.

Let’s break down each of the challenges that may be presented in an EV charging project and look at the solutions we have available.

Smappee Web-Base Dashboard Reporting on site Consumption and Solar Production

Power Monitoring to Determine Capacity

The first step any facility should take in evaluating their capacity for EV charging infrastructure is collecting some electrical consumption data over a period of 1-3 months. This is to determine what additional capacity they have for EV charging and whether an upgrade to the supply for the building is required.

For example: the building may have a 200A three-phase supply, but how much of that capacity is left over after household consumption and common loads?

Thankfully this can be achieved quite easily by installing a Smappee Infinity system at the main switch board. This can collect grid import data and provide reporting on electricity usage over time via a cloud-based dashboard, accessible via the free web app.

Typically costing less than $3,500 for supply and installation of this system, facility managers and owners corporation members can quickly gain access to this valuable data and determine what charging capacity they have available to work with.

The other benefit of installing the Smappee Infinity system for this purpose is its ability to be used for overload protection and dynamic load balancing of the EV chargers (see load management section).

Electrical Infrastructure Requirements

Once a strong understanding of available supply capacity has been developed, a decision can be made as to the size of the EV charging supply. Typically, a separate power distribution board (EVDB) will be installed to feed the charging stations. This would be rated to a little above the maximum excess capacity measured during the power monitoring step.

Previously, industry practice would be to install individual circuits for each charging station. This significantly adds to the cost for circuit and earth leakage protection, cable tray, cabling, and labour. Not to mention the issue of potentially hundreds of cable runs throughout the car parking areas to individually feed power to each car park.

Our solution for this is to utilise a specially developed flat cable system that can supply multiple charging stations off each circuit breaker. This significantly reduces cabling and cable tray requirements, whilst also providing a much tidier solution.

Flat Cable System Example

One of the key benefits of this cable system is that it can be initially installed as backbone electrical infrastructure. Apartment owners can then easily tap into this system at the time of making the switch to an electric vehicle.

Load Management to Prevent Overload

EV charging is no small load. At 7.4kW for single-phase charging stations, and up to 22kW for three-phase units (when referring to AC type charging), the total potential load can grow rapidly. Just 10 x three-phase charging stations have a load potential of 220kW or more than 300 amps. Many buildings just don’t have the capacity to support these sorts of loads.

This fact alone makes a load management system a critical requirement to any site looking to install many EV charging stations – even when a large supply capacity is available.

Overload protection aside, there is also the need to fairly share the available load across all the charging stations. This is called dynamic load balancing. In a nutshell, the system needs to monitor the available (excess) capacity at the grid connection, and then spread any available power across all the active charging stations.

The good news is that when Smappee EV Wall charging stations are used, the Infinity system installed at the power monitoring step can also be used for overload protection and load balancing control.

There is only an upfront cost to enable this feature on each charging station and no ongoing fees for this functionality. This makes the Smappee EV charging load management solution one of the lowest cost options on the market when considering both upfront and ongoing costs.

Where there are existing EV charging stations on site, or the property owners want the option to use various brands of charging stations, a third-party system can be used for this load management functionality. However, this option does come with ongoing annual fees.

Usage Reporting to Allocate Costs

Okay, now we have the electrical infrastructure and load management sorted. We now need to consider how billing will be managed. Because the power is typically drawn from the site’s common supply, EV charging sessions need to be tracked to ensure apartment owners can cover the costs for the electricity required to charge their vehicles.

Smappee EV Charging Management Dashboard – Whitelisted User Consumption Reporting

Where the strata want to manage things with minimal ongoing costs, the owners corporation can manually manage the billing of apartment owners for their EV charging consumption. This would involve running a monthly or quarterly report via the Smappee EV charging management dashboard, on a per user basis. This will allow a bill to be raised based on an agreed cost per kWh.

Automating Electricity Cost Recovery

If it’s preferable to have billing managed automatically, then there are third-party platforms available including our own Vista Charge service.

Utilising a third-party platform has its benefits, including being hardware agnostic. This allows apartment owners to choose any EV charging station compatible with the latest Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP).

These solutions are typically used for automated billing management, where the user downloads a smartphone app, creates an account, and adds their credit card details. The charge point operator (CPO) then takes payment at a set amount per kWh after each charging session and reimburses the strata owners corporation on a monthly or quarterly basis.

The only drawback with this scenario is that there are ongoing costs, which typically include annual service fees and transaction fees. However, this is often considered to be worth paying to reduce the responsibility placed on property management.

Sourcing Finance for Project Costs

Now that we’ve packaged everything up and are ready to go ahead with a solution for EV charging infrastructure in strata car parking, there’s one final hurdle: managing the upfront costs.

Most apartment owners aren’t going to want to fork out more than $1,000 each to cover these costs. Especially the ones that aren’t yet ready to switch to electric propulsion, regardless of the tangible increased value on their property for EV ready car parking.

With this in mind, we recommend talking to a strata finance specialist who can package up the project costs for payment over a 3-5 year period (for example), allowing apartment owners to incorporate the project costs into their quarterly OC payments. This might be somewhere in the vicinity of an additional $100-$150 extra per quarter.

By managing things this way there is a little less financial shock to everyone, and the barrier of approvals by apartment owners can be somewhat reduced.

Conclusion

So, there we have it. By utilising the right technologies and solutions available, the complicated challenge of EV charging in a strata car park is made a little less daunting and a little more approachable.

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ACT Sustainable Household Scheme and Smart EV Charging with Smappee

Smappee EV Wall Solar Charging System
Smappee EV Wall Solar Charging System
Smappee EV Wall with Home Energy Monitoring and Optimised Solar Charging

Some amazing news if you own residential property in the ACT: The Sustainable Household Scheme is now live!

This brand-new State Government initiative provides zero-interest loans of between $2,000 to $15,000 to eligible households in the ACT, designed to help homeowners invest in energy efficient home upgrades. These loans are provided through loan partner Brighte and can be made payable over 1-10 years with no fees or interest, excluding $4.99 late payment fee. With the pilot program now launched, now might be the perfect time to invest in smart EV charging for your home.

Which home upgrades does the ACT Sustainable Household Scheme cover?

If eligible, you could take a 0% interest loan out for:

Category A: Energy generation, storage & EV charging​​​  Category B: Replacement of gas or inefficient electric appliancesComing soon: Category C : Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Household rooftop solar PV systems
Household battery storage systems
Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure		Electric heating & cooling systems – reverse cycle
Hot Water Heat Pumps (HWHP)
Efficient electric stovetops

Currently, you can choose to bundle options from categories A or B up to a maximum loan of $15,000. And if you need to upgrade to 3-phase power to support these new systems, you could also choose to include this upgrade within your 0% interest loan amount.

What’s the right EV charging system for my home?

You can search the Scheme’s website to request quotes from different providers (including us!) and request quotes for EV charging infrastructure.

One brilliant option is the Smappee EV Wall, which supports solar-only or solar-optimised EV charging, home energy monitoring and smart scheduling to suit your driving needs. This system also enables load-balancing if multiple chargers are installed. The European-designed Smappee EV Wall looks great and it’s very flexible in its settings. For example, you could choose to simply plug and charge; limit and track usage via RFID cards; or even monetise your charging station if you so choose.

Example of the Smappee dashboard reporting card showing solar only charging for a Tesla Model 3

What are some ways I could save money over time with the ACT Sustainable Household Scheme?

  • Make the most of feed-in tariffs with a new rooftop solar system
  • Save on petrol costs by driving an electric vehicle (EV)
  • Maximise your savings from solar power through optimised EV charging
  • Minimise your heating, cooling and cooking costs so you receive smaller power bills
  • Capture your solar panel production for use at night with a battery system.

The Sustainable Household Scheme is set to be open to new applications for five years, but consider the advantages of acting early. By locking in today’s prices with a 0% interest loan, you could potentially pay off your home upgrades far sooner through those cost savings. Sounds smart to us!

How do I get started?

Head on over to the Brighte website to find eligibility details and suppliers in your area. There’s also a handy buyer’s guide to investing in an electric vehicle charging system for your home, and full terms and conditions can be found at the official ACT Sustainable Household Scheme website.

Of course – if you have any questions for our team at Vista Power Technologies about EV charging or home energy monitoring, simply get in touch.

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Focusing on Future Homes with the Green Building Council of Australia

Green Building Council Australia (GBCA) Future Homes Partnership
Green Building Council Australia Partnership
Green Building Council Australia (GBCA) Future Homes Partnerships

Vista Power Technologies is officially here to help when it comes to developing Australia’s smart, sustainable, and connected new homes.

As of July 2020, we have proudly joined the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) as a Future Homes Associate Partner.

What does this mean? It means we will be working closely with the GBCA as they set the new standard for sustainable, comfortable, and healthy homes in Australia through their Future Homes program.

Why Future Homes?

It’s expected that over half of the buildings that will exist in 2050 will be built after 2019, so Australia has an incredible opportunity to develop new standards in green living. Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is the not-for-profit industry association that developed the Green Star rating system. GBCA’s vision is to create healthy, resilient and positive places and it brings together over 550 industry companies, investors, and developers as well as local, state, and federal governments to lead the sustainable transformation of the built environment.

GBCA’s Future Homes program is setting a standard for newly built Australian homes that will be:

  • Comfortable and healthy to live in, created with products that are better for us.
  • Resilient to potential future climate change, including water efficiency and design that takes future changes like fires, floods, and heat stress into consideration.
  • Efficient and powered by renewables, to create a net zero energy home to the advantage of residents and the wider community.

How we are getting involved

GBCA is consulting with the wider industry to develop this future-proof standard, including Vista Power Technologies. We will be providing feedback on the possibilities and benefits associated with real-time energy monitoring and smart control of loads and appliances in households. We will also be developing a standard solution for households using the Smappee Infinity system, which opens up the options for IoT-connected (Internet of Things) devices and can be used for live sub-metering.

VPT Managing Director Sam Frost says that Future Homes presents an exciting opportunity to optimise the way we design and plan our homes. “It has become extremely obvious over the last few decades that we need to improve the way we consume natural resources and interact with energy to reduce our negative impact on the environment. We need to ensure our planet remains liveable for our future generations, including the wildlife we share it with. We need to actively implement strategies to slow and even reverse the damage that has been done to our planet.”

“The Future Homes program is one way we can work to minimise our day to day impact on the environment by using smart and proven technologies to reduce emissions whilst maintaining a comfortable home environment. By implementing certain ‘Green’ technologies we can also create opportunities to save money by reducing energy costs.”

So how does smart energy monitoring fit into Australia’s future homes?

In a big, big way! Home energy monitoring systems (HEMS) will be key in reaching the net zero energy vision for new homes. They can help to identify high-use appliances, provide detailed insights, and control of home energy usage, and cut power bills in a time where electricity costs continue to increase.

Home energy monitoring can also open up an exciting world of possibilities for connected and IoT devices; allowing control over lighting, air conditioning, entertainment systems, smart speakers, connected appliances, electric vehicle charging and more.

The Telsyte Australian IoT@Home Market Study 2019 found over half of Australia’s households already had at least one IoT home product installed by the end of 2018. It is also expected that each Aussie household will have more than 37 connected devices by 2023, with around half of those devices IoT-connected.

Telsyte’s survey showed that almost a third of Australians want to modernise their home to make it smarter.

As Sam says, “What I think we will see in the future is a standard of homes that provide a high level of comfort and liveability, whilst requiring minimal energy from fossil fuels, along with utility bills that are a fraction of what they cost today.”

How you can create your own smart home

Smart home energy monitoring is not just for brand new homes, apartments and townhouses – it’s also incredibly easy to have your electrician install a system in your current home. The Smappee Home Energy Monitor or Smappee Infinity System is an ideal entry-level option to monitor real-time energy consumption, while the Smappee Infinity system opens up even greater options for connectivity and energy management. The Smappee Switch can be added to either solution to provide easy and remote appliance control, as well as a number of additional options such as gas and water monitoring. Simply get in touch to tailor a solution to suit your needs.

Learn more

If you’re looking for more information about GBCA’s exciting Future Homes initiative, you can follow this link for more details?

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Save Through Smart EV Charging with Smappee Infinity

Smappee EV Wall Solar Charging System
Smappee EV Base Commercial EV Chargers with Automatic Load Balancing

Australia, let’s get smarter about using solar and off-peak power to minimise the costs of EV charging

Anyone who owns or is interested in electric vehicles (EVs) probably knows that the running costs can be significantly lower than vehicles running on petrol, diesel or LPG. Servicing requirements for electric motors can also be minimal compared to internal combustion engines, which translates to further cost savings for owners. That being said, there are still big opportunities – and exciting ones at that – for EV owners to further save with smart charging, both in charging costs as well as in an environmental sense.

First, let’s consider Australia’s changing power environment

Liquid fuels have served a purpose as an easily transportable source of energy for many years. They allowed for significant growth during the industrial revolution and made many industries that we rely on today possible. The impact to the environment, though, has been less than desirable, and the practice of using fossil fuels as a primary source of energy in industries is simply not sustainable.

With improvements in battery technology we’re now seeing a shift where renewable energy can be stored and used on demand, along with the ability to use other less damaging forms of fossil fuel such as coal to indirectly power automobiles. With the progress of renewable energy production including wind, solar and tidal power being implemented across the world, our reliance on coal is also reducing and this will continue over time.

Where EVs come into the picture

Australian households and businesses are increasingly starting to look to electric vehicles as an effective way of reducing reliance on damaging fossil fuels. It’s been calculated that the carbon emissions of an EV in Australia could be around 18% lower than those of a fossil fuelled car when using average grid electricity. When we add in the factors of renewable energy and battery technologies, these can lead to even lower emissions. Just ask New Zealand, whose EV emissions could be 62% lower than those of fossil fuelled cars because so many of the country’s energy sources are renewable.

Smart use of renewable energy can also have serious benefits for the hip pocket

Where EV owners are producing the renewable energy themselves, for example using solar panels, each owner stands to significantly save on their charging costs. In addition – owners can use their smart charging system to only charge at off-peak (and therefore low-cost) times from the grid, further slashing their charging costs. Smart EV charging simply makes sense!

Smappee Infinity provides a revolutionary solution when it comes to smart EV charging

By installing a Smappee Infinity system, users can optimise the use of self-produced solar power and also prioritise using lower-cost off-peak power, to maximise the already-significant savings that can come with owning and operating an EV. Here’s how.

Direct integration with several popular EV chargers

Smappee offers flexibility for smart EV charging. By integrating directly with Smappee’s new EV Base or EV Wall chargers, or supported third-party chargers, the Infinity system together with the Genius gateway can dynamically change the charging output to maintain a manageable rate of charge.

Current third-party EV chargers that integrate directly with the Smappee Infinity system are as follows:

  1. EVBox
  2. GreenFlux

Maximised self consumption of solar power

Planning to use surplus solar power to charge your vehicle? Using its smart metering technology, the Infinity system can monitor the level of solar power exported to the grid and vary the EV charger output to only use excess energy.

Prioritised use of off-peak (and low cost) electricity when solar power is unavailable

Wake up to an ideally charged vehicle and a lower bill! Where the site operates on time-of-use electricity tariffs, the Infinity system can review the current and future electricity rates and prioritise the use of off-peak power to complete charging to a user defined level, e.g. 100km by 7:30am.

Demand management to protect site or circuit overload

The Smappee smart EV charging feature also includes demand management capabilities. This means that it will limit the amount of power the EV charger can draw to ensure the site does not exceed its overload limit. This is ideal in the case of running an EV charger at the same time as other electrical appliances and lighting, or where multiple EV chargers are installed with a combined maximum load which is greater than what the supply (main circuit breaker) can support.

Direct switching of EV chargers and other appliances

In addition to Smappee’s smart EV charging feature allowing for dynamic load control, users can also directly switch power to their charging station or other household appliances. This is possible with the Output Module used to control switching of whole circuits, or the Switch (16A) which plugs in to the power point and provides both control and monitoring capabilities.

Using this method will still allow users to automate the use of excess solar for charging and other purposes, however, it would not have the capability to vary the load on an EV charger.

So why choose Smappee Infinity for smart EV charging?

Understanding your energy

Not only can you keep track of exactly how much power your EV is using and the associated costs, but you’ll also be able to gain many other insights into energy usage. The Smappee Infinity system can monitor all of your electrical loads providing a detailed consumption, production, and cost analysis, allowing you to fully understand how your home or business is interacting with energy.

Controlling your EV charger & other circuits or appliances to maximise savings & revenue

You can open up a world of management and integration possibilities. The Infinity system is capable of controlling individual appliances with the Switch and whole circuits with the Output Module. Control can be managed manually or automatically via the smartphone app, or with third-party integrations including IFTTT, Home Assistant, and custom MQTT (IoT) based applications.

For example, you could choose to only run your water heater with export solar during the day and off-peak power overnight through an in-app automation. Or using IFTTT and a Sensibo smart A/C controller, you could reduce the temperature in your home when solar export is above a certain level. Tech savvy individuals could also create their own control conditions using the Home Assistant application, or develop their own application installed on a home PC or Raspberry Pi.

Saving on energy costs and maximising revenue from export to the grid

By utilising the above smart control capabilities you could significantly maximise your cost savings associated with installing a solar system or EV charger. And by utilising self-produced solar power production, you can minimise the amount of electricity being exported to the grid at the low feed-in tariffs currently offered by most traditional electricity retailers.

In addition to cost savings, there’s also the possibility to increase revenue on electricity exported to the grid. By signing up to an electricity retailer offering wholesale rates you could choose to reduce consumption when the price of electricity is high, increasing export to the grid and being paid at the equivalent feed-in tariff. When you consider the price of electricity can reach levels as high as $15 per kWh for short periods during the year, there’s a significant opportunity to take advantage of this and generate revenue with your solar system. Who would say no to more free money?

If you’re a home battery owner you can further maximise revenue generated by signing up to a virtual power plant (VPP) program, where you can be paid for the use of your battery during peak demand periods. These rewards are typically in addition to the feed-in tariff offered by the electricity retailers. This article from SolarQuotes provides details on some VPP programs currently available in Australia.

Learn more

Considering EV charger options and identifying ways to maximise savings using some of the smart technologies now available can get a little complicated. If you’re looking to learn more about some of the suggestions and technologies discussed in the above article, feel free to get in touch for more information.

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