Satellite charging points offer temporary relief from grid congestion

Satellite charging points as an interim solution

A satellite charging point is an additional public charging point connected to the existing grid connection of a standard charging point, rather than to a new, dedicated connection. This allows more vehicles to charge simultaneously on a single connection, which may be particularly attractive in areas with connection constraints. The TNO study focuses specifically on public charging points with a 3×25A connection, the most common type in residential areas.

Greater availability of charging points, but higher peak loads without control

The research combined qualitative interviews with stakeholders – including grid operators, municipalities, charge‑point operators and EV drivers – with a quantitative simulation study based on charging data from 104 heavily used public charging locations.

The findings show that satellite charging points:

• increase the likelihood of a charging point being available, particularly at low and medium levels of electric vehicle growth;
• can lead to higher peak loads on the grid if charging behaviour remains unchanged;
• become less effective as electric vehicle uptake continues to grow, unless additional control measures are applied.

For EV drivers, the availability of charging points is the most important factor. Uncertainty about charging speed is generally accepted, provided this is communicated clearly. Uncertainty about finding an available charging point, however, forms a greater barrier to the transition to electric driving.

Perspectives of users, grid operators and the market

The study shows that, without additional arrangements, satellite charging points increase the risk that grid congestion will persist or worsen, as multiple charging points may simultaneously draw power during peak periods. Grid operators indicate that smart, grid‑aware charging is essential to integrate satellite charging points in a grid‑neutral way, but this is not currently embedded as standard practice in concessions.

For charge‑point operators, satellite charging points can generate additional throughput in the early growth phase of electric mobility, but the business case is less attractive than for regular charging points due to greater installation complexity and lower charging speeds. Municipalities report that they are often not yet sufficiently prepared, from an organisational perspective, to deploy satellite charging points on a large scale.

Policy insights: opportunities and limitations

According to TNO, satellite charging points can contribute to temporarily alleviating connection scarcity in areas with waiting lists. At the same time, the report emphasises that satellite charging points are not a structural solution for the continued growth of electric mobility. With sustained growth in electric vehicles, grid reinforcement, smart control and additional infrastructure remain necessary.

The study shows that the deployment of satellite charging points is closely linked to policy choices, user communication and coordination between grid operators, concession grantors and charge‑point operators. Satellite charging points can form part of wider assessments, depending on the context and the conditions under which they are applied.

Nanet Rutten, Laadwerk:

'Together with municipalities, Laadwerk is facing the challenge of expanding public charging infrastructure, while new grid connections are becoming increasingly less self‑evident. The TNO study is important to us because it provides independent insight into what satellite charging points mean in practice and under which conditions they can be deployed responsibly.'