Blockchain-based logging of bidirectional EV charging data

Conference paper at the 6th E-Mobility Power System Integration Symposium in The Hague on October 10, 2022

Bidirectional charging of electric vehicles enables the implementation of various new use cases, which provide additional value to the user or to the electricity grid by charging and discharging according to external signals. These applications require the installation and operation of measurement equipment in order to collect data on e. g. power and energy in high temporal resolution. These data can also be utilized to provide additional value to the customer by implementing services such as warranties. Therefore, transparent and tamper-resilient data storage is important to create a reliable data basis for the implementation of these services. A blockchain-based data logging platform can provide a solution for this challenge since these features are inherent to the technology.

In the research project InDEED, the described platform was developed, which allows automated recording and notarization of data. Subsequently, data which is notarized once can be verified by the platform, which prevents manipulation and also proves the chronological sequence. For data minimization, the collected data from EVs is not notarized directly, but in hashed form, which also improves the scalability of the solution. In the current research implementation, the data is handled through the OEM’s backend system and transferred to the notarization platform only afterwards. This is to be improved in a real implementation, since the backend system might be considered as being prone to manipulation.

The services which can be implemented based on the acquired and notarized data include e. g. warranties on the battery dependent on defined usage (for instance energy throughput or charging/discharging cycles), reliable and verifiable data about the battery for reselling or warranties on the performance of charging equipment. Since the platform provides the central infrastructure, synergies between these services are possible. Therefore, the developed system enables to provide additional value to the customer at little additional expense, and thus contributes to an accepted integration of bidirectional EVs in the energy system.