Through its CHAdeMO charging connector, the car can be integrated as a regulating reserve for Germany’s electricity grid.
25 Oct 2018 | 8261 Views | By Autocar Pro News Desk
Technology company The Mobility House, energy supplier ENERVIE, transmission system operator (TSO) Amprion and car maker Nissan have devised an innovative charging and energy management technology that qualifies the electric car for all the TSO regulatory requirements for primary power regulation. This means that the car can be integrated as ...
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Technology company The Mobility House, energy supplier ENERVIE, transmission system operator (TSO) Amprion and car maker Nissan have devised an innovative charging and energy management technology that qualifies the electric car for all the TSO regulatory requirements for primary power regulation. This means that the car can be integrated as a regulating reserve for the German electricity grid – said to be a breakthrough in the establishment of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology in Germany.
To meet the universal desire for a transition to decentralised energy generation from renewable sources here in Germany, new and innovative solutions for stabilising the electricity grid are necessary. The increasing use of renewable energy leads to fluctuations in the grid, which must be initially balanced by primary regulation, able to prevent impending power cuts at a second's notice.
Electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf come with integrated bidirectional charging technology. With its CHAdeMO charging connector, the Leaf is not only able to extract power from the grid and store it in its traction battery, but, if necessary, also to feed power back. This is called the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) concept. This is a pilot project at the ENERVIE site in Hagen, Germany. In combination with intelligent charging and energy management technology from The Mobility House, the charging and discharging processes can be controlled and monitored.
Thomas Raffeiner, CEO and founder of The Mobility House (TMH) said, “We are pleased that Mobility House technology has been approved by the TSO for the most challenging and important product of the German power supply system.”
Guillaume Pelletreau, Vice President and Managing Director, Nissan Center Europe said, “We are very proud that the Nissan Leaf has, as the first electric car ever, been approved as suitable for stabilising grid frequencies. Leaf batteries could make an important contribution to energy transition in Germany and a sustainable future.”
As one of four TSO's responsible for the transmission of power in Germany, and thus charged with the stability of the power grid, Amprion is a supporter of the ambitious V2G project. The TSO has defined the technical and regulatory requirements for prequalifying a mobile battery storage unit for the market for primary regulation. Amprion has now approved the Nissan Leaf, as the first electric car, in combination with the control system from The Mobility House, as suitable for this function.
Andreas Walczuch, Head of System Services and Energy Market at Amprion said, “We are proud to be the first in Germany to prequalify an electric car for primary regulation. This innovation shows us that electric cars may have a part to play in securing system stability.”
Erik Hohne, executive spokesman of ENERVIE Group in Hagen, said, "By providing the infrastructure for the project on site, ENERVIE has extended its commitment to e-mobility as an innovative partner for industry, commerce and the people in the region by a further facet.”