The Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE) presented the course Impact of Electric Mobility Adoption on Distribution Networks, a technical training program aimed at analyzing one of the most significant changes currently facing the electricity sector in Latin America and the Caribbean: the growing adoption of electric mobility and its effects on the planning, operation, and expansion of power networks, particularly at the distribution level.
During the opening session, Andrés Rebolledo, OLACDE’s Executive Secretary, highlighted the importance of strengthening regional energy integration and preparing electrical systems to support the transition toward cleaner, more efficient, and more sustainable technologies, emphasizing that electric mobility must be addressed as a structural component of energy planning.
From the academic sector, Dennis Rivera, of the National Autonomous University of Honduras, presented studies on the impact of electric mobility on electrical systems with structural limitations, providing modeling and assessment tools adapted to the Central American context. In his analysis, he noted that the incorporation of electric vehicles in the region requires careful planning that takes into account grid capacity, available infrastructure, costs, and the economic realities of each country.
For her part, Gloria Alvarenga, OLACDE’s Director of Integration, Access, and Energy Security, emphasized the need to strengthen countries’ technical and institutional capacities to anticipate the effects of new electricity demand on distribution networks and ensure service reliability.
Likewise, Fitzgerald Cantero, OLACDE’s Director of Studies, Projects and Information, put into context the accelerated growth of the region’s electric vehicle fleet and its implications for generation, transmission, distribution, and charging infrastructure, stressing the need for a comprehensive view of the electrical system.
During the course, Jonathan Muñoz Tábora, of the National Autonomous University of Honduras, presented technical evidence showing that the expansion of electric mobility is already having direct impacts on distribution networks. Fast charging, which can require between 40 and more than 80 kW per point, causes abrupt demand fluctuations, voltage drops, and greater strain on feeders and transformers, in addition to introducing harmonic distortion associated with power electronics.
The discussions agreed that electric mobility is evolving toward smart charging schemes, with time-of-use rates, real-time pricing, and distributed energy resource management platforms (DERMS), where electric vehicles are beginning to act as sources of system flexibility, including through Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) schemes.
Case analyses, such as Honduras’s, showed that charging during peak hours can worsen overload and voltage problems, while charging during off-peak hours is more viable, confirming that electric mobility planning must coordinate charger location, operating schedules, grid capacity, and tariff signals.
The course concluded with a central message: electric mobility is no longer just a change in transportation, but a new operational component of electrical systems that demands rigorous technical planning, grid digitalization, active demand management, and appropriate regulatory frameworks to move toward more flexible, resilient, and sustainable energy systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.
