Project Origins
The massive, uncontrolled charging of numerous electric vehicles from the grid will create problems in the proper and reliable operation of the electricity networks (indicatively: overloading of power lines and transformers, extreme voltage fluctuations, increased energy losses).
A very promising solution is the application of controlled and coordinated charging of electric vehicles, also known as smart charging. During smart charging, the charging time and rate of an electric vehicle are controlled.
The development of an integrated smart charging solution meets significant technical challenges and requires the cooperation of numerous stakeholders (e.g., electric vehicle users, charging point operators, e-mobility service providers, market operators, system and network operators, electricity suppliers, electric vehicle aggregator).
The Electric Vehicle Aggregator (EV Aggregator) is a new entity that can take over the central management of the smart charging of numerous electric vehicles and interact with the various stakeholders in an optimal way.
The object of ELVIS is the development of a prototype integrated tool for the management of smart charging by an EV Aggregator in order to provide cost-effective charging to electric vehicle users while providing ancillary services to the system and network operators.
Innovation
- Develop highly accurate, online CS load profiling and forecasting tools, by considering real-world CS measurements as the training and evaluation dataset. The real CS information will be provided by two Cooperating Organizations, namely a CS network administrator/owner operating in mainland of Greece and an EV fleet operator in the island of Rhodes.
- Develop new mathematical models for optimal bidding strategy in EU-based electricity markets, including DAM, IDM and BM. The models will be able to solve in real-time, large-scale, stochastic optimization problems, which will be the case with large EV fleets.
- Enable business model flexibility for capturing the most of the market share. ELVIS platform will be able to engage successfully with existing business models or with emerging ones, by providing customized service versions for each model (for example consider a case that EVA participates in BM only and not in DAM or IDM). Provided flexibility extends also to the type of engaged stakeholders, considering several more types than individual end-users, like EV fleet Operators.
- Implement a dedicated CS management system, on top of the OCPP global open communication protocol, to act as the underlying infrastructure interconnecting all managed CSs and enabling their remote management and control in a unified way. The adoption of OCPP will foster interoperability across CSs developed by different manufacturers and allow involvement of the EVA in various business models and CS-unspecific business development.
- Develop a sophisticated OCPP compliant testbed emulating the charging behavior and interactions of real CSs, to enable large-scale smart charging experimentation and pushing of optimization and forecasting operations to the limits.
- Provide user-friendly interfaces for EV users and CS administrators to promote user adoption. A dedicated hybrid smartphone application for end-users with real-time information about connected CS availability, charging cost, etc. and an administration dashboard for holistic monitoring across all managed CSs will be delivered.
- Demonstrate the platform operation and evaluate the market-based smart charging performance under real-world conditions in a pilot engaging real EV users at municipal level.
Impact
The innovative approach of ELVIS has the potential to pose significant and diverse impact, across several areas of the broader EV ecosystem:
- Scientific: Combine state-of-the-art mathematical models, scientific methods and prototype implementation considering real-world business models and stakeholder engagement, resulting in disruptive outcomes. Broad dissemination of collected knowledge and expertise through relevant publications.
- Environmental: Increase the adoption of alternative fuels, renewable and sustainable energy in tomorrow’s transports, which is in line with the EU priorities and promote citizen awareness on the benefits of e-mobility through real-world demonstration and dissemination actions.
- Grid: Sustainable integration of EVs in electric energy systems by preventing operational network congestions and extraordinary T&D investments and increase of system reliability through the provision of fast and low-cost balancing services from EVs.
- End-users: Offer new opportunities to EV users for lower charging costs, without impacting their comfort levels and mobility habits.
- Socio-economic: Early business development in a marketplace with huge worldwide market potential.