Smart charging technologies
Is smart charging the future?
Smart Charging or smart charging is a broad term used to describe smart technologies that can remotely control the charging transaction. There is currently a rapidly increasing use of electric vehicles and simultaneous charging brings peak loads. This can cause negative impacts such as power outages on power grids and energy transmission infrastructure. However, the extent of the negative impacts on grid infrastructure can be mitigated by integrating smart charging into the grid. When charged smartly, electric vehicles can not only avoid overloading the local power grid, but can also provide energy to flexibly fill energy shortages. Smart charging can also ensure that electric vehicle charging is done at the most optimal time, when costs are low and the supply of (renewable) energy is high.
From V1G to bidirectional V2G
V1G charging, also known as uni-directional controlled charging, has been around for a few years now. Electric car charging is regulated so that charging capacity can be increased and decreased as needed. In some regions, it is even the case that charging is impossible between 5 and 8 because the grid load is too high then.
Vehicle-to-Grid or V2G takes the bidirectional concept one step further and makes it possible to temporarily send the charged power back to the electricity grid to balance variations in energy production and consumption. The advent of renewable energy sources with highly variable production levels is also making this balance increasingly complex. With V2G, the energy in the electric vehicle’s battery can be fed back into the grid. This allows the electric vehicle to serve as buffer capacity to support the grid and absorb potential peak loads. On the other hand, surplus electricity can be absorbed by the vehicles. V2G technology works by means of specially designed
bidirectional charging stations. These charging stations may soon become an essential part of the energy transition and a stable energy grid.
In the near future, every battery on wheels will be able to contribute to the balance between supply and demand in the electricity grid.
Vehicle to Everything (V2X)
Another development in the field of smart charging is V2X, or Vehicle to Everything. V2X is also a bidirectional concept and can best be described as V2G with additional benefits such as accessibility and efficiency. Some applications of V2X include Vehicle to Home (V2H) or Vehicle to Building (V2B). Depending on the concept, the energy from an EV battery is used for consumers in a household or office. The electric vehicle can provide energy even when feeding it back into the grid is not possible.
V2X increases accessibility and efficiency compared to V2G charging points. V2G chargers, while serving their purpose, are extremely large. As a result, installation processes are not as simple and require a lot of resources to install. The V2X charger is characterised by its small size and low weight, making it more suitable for easy installation at private homes, offices and many other locations. Moreover, the response time for changing the charging direction has increased significantly, making the V2X superior in terms of energy efficiency.
EVSE Multifunctional bidirectional test setup (V2G and V2X)
To provide a test solution for both AC and DC charging stations—unidirectional and bidirectional—there is a multifunctional test setup that integrates all possibilities into a single setup. These all-terrain converters combine the full functionality of an AC/DC power supply with all the possibilities of an AC/DC electronic load. The ability to expand the setup modularly for higher power ratings gives the user maximum flexibility and security for the future. The setup can also be used for testing and simulating batteries, AC and DC electric motors, and all types of converters.
