Several Contributions at the E-Mobility Symposium in Helsinki

At the 8th E-Mobility Power System Integration Symposium in Helsinki, Finland, October 7–8, 2024, key advancements in electric vehicle (EV) integration into the energy system were shared in two unIT-e² project sessions. The unIT-e² project explores the integration of electromobility into the power grid. Topics covered in the unIT-e² sessions included grid integration, system interoperability, smart charging, customer journey, regulation and policy, and the economic benefits for EV users and energy systems. Additionally, a poster on the future of smart and bidirectional charging from a user perspective in Germany was presented. These contributions underscored the importance of advancing technical solutions and user incentives to ensure EV infrastructure’s efficient and scalable integration with the power grid.

More information regarding the unIT-e² project can be found here: https://unit-e2.de/en/.

Advancing grid integration of electromobility: insights from the project unIT-e²

Michael Hinterstocker, Valerie Ziemsky, Patrick Vollmuth, Adrian Ostermann, Vincenz Regener, Nele Maas, Elisabeth Wendlinger, Kirstin Ganz, Daniela Wohlschlager, Jakob Zahler, Andreas Weiß, Simon Köppl

In the “unIT-e² – Living Lab for Integrated E-Mobility” project, over 30 partners worked on integrating electromobility into the energy system. The focus lies on practical applications where pilot customers tested electric vehicles and complementary software and hardware. Selected results and recommendations from the tests and research activities are presented in this first paper to transfer insights into practice.

The findings are categorized into four areas: “Grid Integration of Electromobility,” “Scalability and Standardization,” “Information and Incentives for Users,” and “Economic and Ecological Benefits for Users and Energy System.” The report highlights ongoing research and development needs to promote efficient integration of electromobility with a focus on Germany. Grid integration and standardization were dominant topics, yielding the most insights and showing the greatest need for further discussion and research. Field tests provided practical insights from electric vehicle users’ perspectives. Research focused on electromobility’s economic and ecological evaluation and its impact on the energy system.

Achieving System Interoperability – A long and rocky road ahead?

Adrian Ostermann, Patrick Vollmuth, Jeremias Hawran, Louis Gugg

Interoperability is crucial in the electromobility ecosystem as it ensures seamless integration and operation of electric vehicles (EVs) across energy grids and charging infrastructures. In this context, interoperability is vital to prevent disruptions in EV charging and support the scaling of e-mobility solutions. The unIT-e² project highlights the importance of interoperability through its standard-based smart charging solutions and comprehensive testing efforts, especially during the unIT-e² Plugfest. This event was a key platform for evaluating interoperability across various systems and components involved in the so-called clusters of the project. Interoperability was measured in terms of semantic, pragmatic, and dynamic aspects, with each layer addressing different communication and operational needs. The findings from the Plugfest indicated that while pragmatic interoperability was achieved, dynamic interoperability—related to the interchangeability of components—presented challenges. Based on these insights, the project recommends increased standardization of communication protocols alongside continuous and rigorous system integration testing in real-world scenarios. These recommendations aim to enhance the reliability and efficiency of the electromobility ecosystem, paving the way for broader adoption and smoother operation of EVs in the future.

Simplified functional chain for the unIT-e² field trials; four relevant interfaces highlighted with numbers 1 to 4

The Future of Smart and Bidirectional Charging – Use Case Prospects from the User’s Perspective in Germany

Patrick Vollmuth, Adrian Ostermann

As electric vehicles (EVs) are a key component to decarbonise the transportation sector, the adoption of EVs must be attractive to end users. Thus, we examined smart and bidirectional charging use cases focusing on benefits and prospects from the user’s perspective for 2024 until 2030 in Germany. Use cases like photovoltaic (PV) self-consumption optimization, peak shaving, variable tariffs, and direct market trading are evaluated. The multi-criteria assessment includes the technical readiness of respective technical systems, use case profitability, and a realistic number of potential EV users per use case.

Figure: Simplified overview of the methodology applied in the paper

Our findings show that none of the investigated use cases are ready for large-scale implementation today. The first use cases for smart charging to become technically scalable and profitable from the user’s perspective are PV self-consumption optimization and peak shaving. Bidirectional charging is found to become technically mature later in time. Large-scale implementation of the first bidirectional charging cases could start around the end of 2025. All of the investigated use cases are projected to become profitable around 2030 at the latest, with profits ranging from less than 100 € up to more than 2,000 € per EV per year.

The Impact of Variable Grid Fee Tariffs on the Electricity Costs of EV Users in Germany

Kirstin Ganz, Patrick Vollmuth, Michael Hinterstocker

The paper investigates the impact of the §14a-framework of the EnWG on electric vehicle (EV) users. The § 14a framework requires distribution grid operators (DSOs) to connect new heat pumps (HPs) and EV charging infrastructure (EVSE) while allowing them to reduce power drawn from HPs and EVSEs in case of grid overload. The DSOs are mandated to provide remuneration for these components. The study develops remuneration mechanisms in the form of variable grid fee tariffs and DSOs, which are then implemented into an optimization model for the flexible marketing of EVs to analyse their effect on the EV charging behaviour and the total costs. The analysis reveals that the § 14a framework gives high flexibility in designing variable grid fee tariffs to meet the needs of the different distribution grids. These different tariffs enable flexible EV users to achieve substantial cost savings, thereby providing a strong incentive for the load shifting required by DSOs. This research fills a gap in understanding how the incentives outlined in the § 14a framework affect EV users.