EVs charging ahead

By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.

The challenges of charging a fleet of electric vehicles were brought to the attention of Auckland Council’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee on July 20. The Government has made a target to ban the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 and wants half of all light vehicle registrations to be EVs by 2029.

Vector chief executive officer Simon Mackenzie told the committee that this would place a huge demand on the power network.

“It’s a very complex issue,” Mackenzie said. He said that it would involve scheduling charging times “just like you would with air traffic control”.

“What you don’t want is for everyone to start charging their cars at the same time.”

Cr Ken Turner asked how scheduled charging would work.

“Are you basically going to put the people’s chargers on a ripple switch, like we used to have with hot water cylinders, so that you guys can go ‘not tonight Charlie’?” Turner asked.

Mackenzie said that it was a lot more sophisticated than “the old hot water cylinder”, but essentially it was the same principle.

“We have had a trial with 200 customers across Auckland where they connected their EV charges to a system,” Mackenzie said.

The smart chargers communicate with the electricity network, as well as the vehicles being charged, and other smart chargers. Through the transfer and analysis of data, the best charging times can be chosen, times that put less pressure on the network and are most cost-effective for the owner.

“We are seeing the dependence on electricity as critical, whether it’s for the home consumer, businesses and now transport,” Mackenzie added.

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WinterMuster Kaipara Flats Sports Club will host a Winter Muster on Saturday, August 12 to raise funds for an extension of the sports club facilities. There will be live music with Andy and Vaughan, raffles, and a few auctions. Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased at the door. Doors open at 6pm and the music begins at 7pm. Some nibbles will be provided.

SheLovesGolf Calling all female golfers! She Loves Golf is a women’s golf programme run by PGA professional coach Mike at Mangawhai Golf Club. Sessions run for four weeks, beginning Friday, August 4 and will teach basic golf skills to build confidence and enjoy the benefits of playing golf. Groups are limited to eight players and spaces are limited. $80 per person.

Quiznight Get your thinking cap on and head along to Mahurangi East Tennis Club on Saturday, August 19 for a trivia night. Doors open 6.30pm and the quiz begins at 7pm. Enter by yourself or as a team of up to six people. $5pp. BYO drinks and nibbles for your team. Sign up at the clubrooms or email clubcaptain@mahutennis.co.nz. Guests are welcome.

Golftournament Mangawhai Golf Club is hosting a 9-Hole Mixed Open golf tournament on Thursday, August 17. Two ladies divisions and two men’s divisions, Nett and Stableford competitions. The entry fee is $20 per person, lunch is available for an additional $20 per person. Assemble at 9am for registration, followed by a shotgun start at 9.30am. Entries close Friday, August 11. For more information, contact Chrissy on 027 227 4297, email cl.burrows@xtra.co.nz, or visit the Mangawhai Golf Club website: https://www.mangawhaigolf.co.nz/

Women’s football coaching Northern Region Football (NRF) is running a girls’ and women’s advanced coaching qualification programme to support female coaches who want to achieve their qualifications. This is an exclusive programme for women coaches who have already attended an advanced course, C Licence or a JL3 course, in the NRF region within the last five years. The programme runs in August and consists of a number of online connects, plus a two-day workshop over August 19-20.

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Sudoku the numbers game

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MEDIUM FILL IN THIS GRID SO THAT EVERY COLUMN, EVERY ROW AND EVERY 3X3 BOX CONTAINS THE DIGITS 1 TO 9.