The steady increase in the number of fully-electric and plug-in hybrid cars on Finnish roads could put the country's electricity supplies under pressure by the beginning of the 2030s, according to a study by Aalto University.
The university's research team found that supplies will be especially strained during early-winter cold snaps, when demand is high and wind power output is usually low.
"Generation capacity may not be sufficient to meet the surging number of EVs [electrical vehicles] and the consumption spikes caused by their charging," according to Ilona Malmipuro, a doctoral researcher in energy technology at Aalto University.
There are currently an estimated 300,000 rechargeable cars on Finland's roads, a number which is expected to double or even triple over the next four years.
This will have a significant impact on electricity consumption, Malmipuro noted, which is already forecast to increase in Finland by between 20 and 45 percent in 2030 compared to current readings.
This spike in consumption will be driven in particular by a rise in the number of data centres in Finland, which currently stands at 35 but could increase to over 100 by the end of the decade.
An over-reliance on wind power, which accounts for a quarter of Finnish electricity production, makes the system more vulnerable to consumption peaks as well as changes in the weather, the study found.
This means that EV drivers may have to get used to charging their electric cars during windy weather, at night or on weekends — thereby alleviating the pressure on the electricity supply system.
"Our research shows that the current level of investment may not produce enough electricity in the future without demand flexibility. If most Finns got used to charging their EVs during windy weather, at night or on weekends, potential shortage situations would be reduced significantly," Malmipuro said.
