Management of flexible EV load to defer grid upgrades

Overview of the status and impact of the innovation

Innovation 2

What

To prevent grid components from being overloaded by EV charging, especially when vehicles charge at peak times, system operators can carefully plan, monitor and control the load capacities from EVs in different locations. They can then shift charging from peak hours to off-peak hours, among other actions. This innovation applies to light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, but the specific strategy may differ for different vehicle types due to different charging profiles and battery sizes.

Why

The flexible management of EV loads is important for integrating higher shares of variable renewables, minimising peak loads, avoiding grid congestion, and deferring costly grid investments and upgrades.

BOX 3.22 The Netherlands reduces EV peak load by controlling charging, while Germany tests demand-side redispatch with EV charging

In a pilot project developed by Enexis Netbeheer (a grid operator in the Netherlands) involving 138 households, smart charging controlled by the DSO decreased the peak load by 40% – without drivers noticing slower charging. Data about the available grid capacity were used to manage charging (Elaadnl, 2020).

Germany’s TransnetBW and Tesla have launched a project called PV shift, which controls homes with Tesla solar power systems and EVs. The project shifts home-generated solar power from EV charging to grid feed during periods of high grid load (TRANSNET BW, 2022). The project is gathering practical experience on flexibility potentials and on processes involving grid operators, equipment manufacturers and consumers. It is helping to test standardised mechanisms for demand-side redispatch that can help to stabilise the power grid in a cost-efficient way.

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