Page 28 - EngineerIT June July Issue 2026
P. 28
ENERGY STORAGE
Why commercial
property owners should
be planning for
EV charging now
By Justin Render
year ago, EV (Electrical So, when does EV charging move parking allocations all become
Vehicle) charging from being a nice-to-have amenity more complicated once a
in
A rastructure was still largely to a practical infrastructure property is operational. Conversely,
f
considered “futuristic” by South requirement? The answer may incorporating charging readiness
African commercial property owners. vary from one property to another, during a development, expansion
but planning is almost certainly or refurbishment project can
In 2026, rising fuel prices, growing something to consider before significantly reduce future costs.
interest in electric vehicles and demand outgrows infrastructure.
growing pressure on businesses This is particularly relevant for office
to improve energy efficiency are “Nice to have” vs infrastructure parks, mixed-use developments,
making the issue harder for business A common misconception about retail centres and logistics facilities,
owners to ignore. While South Africa's EV charging is that it can be where tenant and visitor expectations
EV market is still relatively small treated as a standalone addition. are likely to evolve over the coming
compared to Europe and parts of Charging infrastructure places new decade.
Asia, adoption is steadily on the rise demands on a property's electrical
as more models become available systems, parking layouts and long- The connection between
and operating costs become easier term energy strategy. But while charging, solar and storage
to justify. that sounds like a luxury many EV charging makes more sense when
organisations couldn’t afford, “luxury” it’s part of a broader energy strategy.
in this case is probably a misnomer. Many commercial properties are
already investing in solar generation
Retrofitting charging facilities after and battery storage to reduce
a building is complete can be reliance on the grid, improve
costly and disruptive. Capacity resilience and manage electricity
upgrades, cabling routes and costs. Charging infrastructure can
often be integrated into these
systems rather than operating as a
Nigel Sun, Head of Sungrow Southern Africa separate energy load.
28 | EngineerIT June/July 2026
