Max S. Dunn

Plugin 2010: Smart-Charging

Posted by: Max Dunn on July 28, 2010 08:34:56

New technologies that allow for the smart-charging of vehicles with a Smart-Grid

• Richard Lowenthal, Coulomb Technologies
• David Packard, ClipperCreek, Inc.
• Will Cousins, GridPoint
• Hugh McDermott, VP, Global Utility Alliances, Better Place

Hugh McDermott, Better Place

Smart Charging

• Better Place info:
  • Own battery, sell electric miles
  • Has real-time communication with every node: charging stations, switch stations and car
  • Can dial up or down charging stations
  • "Dynamic dispatch" meet the driver needs and utilities limits
  • Optimizes renewable energy by turning up charging when more renewable energy is available (Dong Energy in China)
• Looking at providing utility services by controlling charging and then also V2G
• In 64 days, will be doing full-scale test in Israel with 1,000 charging stations and battery swap stations
• Commercial vehicles arriving Q4 2011 for consumer use
• Next year will have several hundred vehicles in test
• All ChargeSpots will be available to any EV, not just BetterPlace vehicles

Will Cousins, GridPoint

Why Intelligence Matters?

• Curtailing load of 150mw for 10 minutes yielded $14k savings for utility
• Charging should be free or perceived low cost. If there is a lot of variation in charging, it will hinder user adoption

David Packard, ClipperCreek

Smart Grid, Smart Charging

• They supply charging stations for BMW and Tesla
• About 47 plug models by 2012
• 3,270 utilities speaking different languages

Richard Lowenthal, Coulomb Technologies

Network Charing and Smart Grid

• Coulomb makes only smart charging stations
• Challenge for utilities is that the consumer (EV owner) and meter owner (where it is charging) are sometimes two different people
• Can tell the system what time the car should be charged and they can save $880 a year by charging when rates are low
• Can take GridPoint signals to control charging
• PG&E sent out an RFP earlier this year for 10,000 charging stations
  
• Can't have exclusive membership for charging - anyone can charge at their stations, can call 800 number as last resort, or use iPhone app.
• Stations can take contact-less credit cards