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 [electric 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.