EV Charge Stations Could Have Larger BESS Units

The Energy Market Regulatory Authority, or EPDK, announced that it was preparing new regulations governing electric-vehicle charging stations.

Under the new rules, according to a statement from the regulator, energy storage facilities integrated into electric-vehicle charging stations would be allowed to have a power capacity greater than the stations’ contracted capacity. This would enable charging stations to discharge energy at power levels above their contracted capacity.

The amount of electricity these stations could draw from or supply to the grid, however, would continue to be limited by their contracted capacity. To ensure this, stations would also be required to install automatic power-control and energy-cutoff systems.

The statement did not specify what form the regulation would take or when it would enter into force. It also did not say whether an upper limit would be imposed on the power or storage capacity of such facilities.

EPDK emphasized that the regulation would allow charging-network operators to choose, for stations with high immediate or periodic charging demand, between increasing their grid capacity and integrating energy storage.

According to the regulator, the measure could encourage the wider adoption of charging stations with integrated storage, allow stations to use higher-powered charging equipment and enable more efficient use of the existing electricity distribution infrastructure.

Charging-network operators are already permitted under Türkiye’s Charging Service Regulation to install energy storage systems integrated into charging stations. At present, however, the power capacity of such systems cannot exceed the station’s contracted capacity.