News

V2G Management Platform Helps Utilities Use EVs as an Energy Source

April 01, 2023 by Mike Falter

Schneider Electric’s AutoGrid announces AutoGrid Flex EV, an AI-based vehicle-to-grid management platform to help utilities manage distributed electric vehicle and electric vehicle supply equipment energy resources.

AutoGrid, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schneider Electric (acquired last year), has announced the release of its AutoGrid Flex EV solution.  

The electric vehicle (EV) focused solution is based on technology from the company’s existing AutoGrid Flex platform, a distributed energy resource management solution (DERMS) developed over the past ten years to help utilities manage their distributed energy resources and virtual power plant (VPP) operations.

The new AutoGrid Flex EV is specifically tailored to the needs of V2G programs, assisting utilities with setting up their programs, acquiring new customers and partners, and managing EV and EV charging participation on the grid.  

 

AutoGrid Flex EV helps utilities manage V2G operations. Image used courtesy of AutoGrid


Virtual Power Plants

As the global economy reduces its dependence on carbon-based fuels, more customers will be looking to grid electricity to meet their energy needs.  

Faced with increasing demand, DERMS help utility operators improve grid reliability, and power quality, by allowing them to connect distributed energy resources to the grid as a supplement to primary sources of power. Distributed energy resources can include grid-connected smart inverters, storage systems, EVs and EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment), combined heat and power units (CHPs), and other distributed generation resources. 

By managing distributed energy resource participation on its grid, a utility creates a VPP that aggregates this excess supply for redistribution to other customers, allowing utilities to build resilience, flexibility, and spare capacity into their grid operations, optimizing performance and improving reliability.   

 

A VPP aggregates distributed power sources to supply the grid. Image used courtesy of AutoGrid
 

EVs as Distributed Energy Resources

With 50% of new car sales projected to be electric by 2030, EVs are quickly increasing demand for grid electricity. Utilities are implementing creative solutions to use these same EVs to access spare power, improve the reliability of their grids, and offer a better customer experience. 

V2G reverses the traditional role of the EV charger by allowing an EV to return spare power from its battery to the grid, so utilities can distribute the excess energy to other customers. 

AutoGrid Flex EV helps utilities to design their V2G programs, acquire and onboard new EV customers, forecast and optimize loads, and maximize the overall efficiency of their operations. The platform includes an easy-to-use, customer-facing web portal and supports a network of more than 30 EV and EVSE OEMs that can connect to the platform. 

The new platform integrates easily with existing DERMS solutions (thermostats, energy storage assets, etc.) and accommodates single and multi-family residential and commercial EV fleet charging participants.   

With potentially thousands of vehicles and charge stations participating in a utility’s V2G program, managing the wide range of distributed EV loads and sources can get very complex. The AutoGrid solution incorporates advanced algorithms, or artificial intelligence (AI), to assist with operations.

 

V2G allows EVs to return spare power to the grid. Image used courtesy of AutoGrid


Getting More From the Grid

As the global economy continues to migrate from carbon-based fuels and increases its reliance on electricity as a universal power source for both fixed and mobile applications, demands on the grid can be expected to skyrocket.

One solution to increasing demand is to build more grid capacity, which can be costly and time-consuming. While upgrades and expansion to grid infrastructure are inevitable, an even smarter approach is to get more out of the existing capacity. DERMS is just that, using advanced software, algorithms, and AI to help utilities better manage the infrastructure and capacity they already have to meet the growing electricity demand.

 

Smarter grid management helps meet increasing demand. Image used courtesy of AutoGrid