Electric Charging Optimization

By 2030, the European Union has set a target that the number of electric vehicles (EVs) reaches at least 30 million, with the aim of eliminating fossil fuels from the transport sector.

This sharp increase is a challenge for the European energy system, but also an opportunity for the use of technologies such as V1G (intelligent vehicle charging), V2G (Vehicle to Grid) and V2X (Vehicle to Everything).

As the vehicles are mostly parked throughout the day, they can be used for energy storage, helping to increase grid stability.

The overall goal of the XL-Connect project is the optimization of the entire EV charging chain – from the energy supply to the end user – creating benefits for all stakeholders. To this end, a charging-on-demand solution will be developed, based on an optimized charging network considering human, technical and economic factors.

The study of user behaviour, as well as the analysis of the energy system and grid, will serve as a basis for predicting the future behaviour of EV owners and fleet operators, as well as possible vulnerabilities in the electric grid and system. 

Goals

• Optimize the multi-directional charging chain – from energy supply to end user – benefiting all stakeholders.
• Develop optimized smart charging technologies and charging and control strategies to promote the penetration of EVs in different environments and maximize user satisfaction, energy system efficiency and renewable energy use, and minimize grid reinforcement and power exchange needs.
• Developing a predictive digital system twin to support the development of advanced charging and control strategies and maximize benefits for all stakeholders in different scenarios.
• Develop new services that take into account customer expectations and behaviour (EV owners, fleet operators) and thus improve the user experience.
• Demonstrate smart charging concepts and new services in different environments, including low-power renewable energy sources, and achieve a 50% reduction in energy exchange with the grid as well as mutual benefits across sectors, as in the case of electricity-hydrogen conversion.
• Perform an impact assessment (operational, economic, social, environmental) of different smart charging strategies and technologies for different stakeholders and assess the conditions under which V2X functionalities are necessary and beneficial compared to V1G.

E-REDES Scope

E-REDES is the leader of a work package focused on integrating user needs into system operation and three tasks related to the implications of electric mobility for the system, with integration of smart charging into the electric grid. E-REDES will also lead a demonstration of project results in Portugal, focusing on interoperability between grid and EV charging platforms.

The Portuguese demonstration will involve 3 Portuguese cities in the validation of the developed smart charging concepts. It aims to explore new usage patterns of EVs at individual level (e.g. commuting to work) and at company level (e.g. EVs used for maintenance and operations).

The demonstration will also extend the use of the UMEI concept, introduced in the EUniversal H2020 project, to the communication between system operators and the entities/devices involved in smart charging, allowing the development of flexibility services through the use of smart charging mechanisms (V2G, V1G and V2X), as well as the necessary two-way data exchange. 

Project ID

Led by: Virtual Vehicle Research | 24 partners & 10 countries | Funded under: HORIZON-CL5-2021-D5-01 (Clean and competitive solutions for all transport modes) | Grant Agreement ID:101056756

Start date: January 2023

Finish date: June 2026

Budget: €8,508,682