Kerala is setting a national benchmark in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, achieving an impressive 12.5% penetration in January- March 2025. This aligns with the strategies identified in Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change and cater to Kerala’s Net Zero goal of 2050.  

However, this rapid uptake of electric vehicles also presents new challenges for the state’s electricity infrastructure which is already experiencing high growth in demand. As EV adoption accelerates, it becomes critical to assess and enhance the readiness of Kerala’s grid and expand charging infrastructure in a planned and equitable manner. In response, the Kerala State Electricity Board Limited (KSEBL), in collaboration with WRI India, is organizing a series of focused webinars on the importance of making the Kerala Grid-Ready for EV Future.

KSEBL is the state-owned electricity utility that owns and operates the electricity generation stations, and the distribution and transmission networks in the state. KSEBL, which caters to ~99% of electricity requirements in the state, has a significant role to play in the ongoing energy transition in the state. KSEBL serves as the State Nodal Agency for facilitating EV charging infrastructure in the state.  

The webinars aim to explore the implications of rising EV demand on the state's charging infrastructure and distribution grid capacity. The webinar will also focus on synergies of ongoing renewable energy adoption in Kerala with electric vehicles. A key feature of the webinar series will be the introduction of tools and methods to help electricity distribution utilities to plan and manage electric vehicle charging demand. One such tool is ELEVATE, an innovative decision-support tool developed by WRI India.
Such tools can support DISCOMs to understand the grid impacts of EV charging and enabling them to make data-driven decisions for strategic investment planning, adopt smart demand management solutions, and the development of grid-resilient EV policies.

The first webinar in the series is planned for May 14, 2025. This webinar will be an introductory webinar focusing on EV growth in Kerala, its charging aspects and grid impact. KSEB EV cell will provide an introduction to their activities in Kerala. WRI India experts will present analysis of the EV growth in Kerala and its grid impact.

Speakers for the first webinar 

  • Asha PA, Chief Engineer, REES KSEB
  • Cini John, AEE, REES, KSEB
  • Sajin Ismail, KSEB EV Cell
  • Deepak Krishnan, WRI India
  • Chandana Sasidharan, WRI India
  • Ijas MA, WRI India