Nexa Advisory welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Victorian Legislative Council’s Inquiry into Electricity Supply for Electric Vehicles (EVs).
Overcoming barriers in EV uptake is critical for achieving Australia’s emission reduction goals, given that vehicles contribute to about 13 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Advocating for policies to support the EV transition is pivotal for addressing climate concerns and economic pressures, particularly in a way that is equitable, competitive and consumer-focused.
There are several practical actions which the Victorian Government and market bodies should take to improve the competitive delivery of these solutions, including:
- Strengthening data transparency obligations on DNSPs
- Streamlining grid connections and reducing their cost
- Developing tariffs that recognise smart infrastructure
We also recommend the Inquiry to consider the below recommendations which would address broader barriers which threaten the uptake of EVs in Victoria. These would ensure competitive neutrality and minimise misuse of monopoly powers by distribution network businesses.
To address these challenges, we strongly urge the Victorian Government to direct the AER to:
- Uphold and reinforce ring-fencing obligations to ensure that regulated DNSP businesses cannot own EV charging infrastructure and other assets which can be delivered competitively;
- Support greater performance monitoring of DNSPs – particularly where they are granted ring-fencing waivers; and
- Strengthen data transparency obligations through DNSP licencing arrangements, requiring DNSPs to publish network data relevant to hosting capacity, congestion and constraint locations to level the playing field for competitive third-party providers
Read our submission here: Nexa Advisory – Vic EV Infrastructure Inquiry Submission