Long waiting times at the common charging stations and risk of overloading the electricity grid in peak periods – these are the two main challenges when electric cars become part of our everyday life. New battery technology will ensure that electric cars can be recharged with green energy without straining the power grid.
Not just the technology of the cars must be ready when electric cars are going to be a common sight on the roads. Equally important, is the infrastructure of charging stations. The electric cars need to be able to charge along the way, to enable the owner to travel at greater distances.
The charging stations that exist today are all connected to the grid. The electric car charge power directly from the grid. Eventually, it can cause problems and there is a risk of blackouts if many of the electric cars are recharging at the same time. Furthermore, it is impossible to ensure that the power, the cars are charging, comes from renewable energy sources.
New solution stabilizes the electricity grid
The potential for a solution, that can both secure the electricity grid and supply electric vehicles with green energy, is therefore considerable.
With the TOPChargE project, the charging stations will receive power from intermediate stations with stationary batteries, which are located next to the stands. These batteries will be connected to the electricity grid and can be programmed to recharge when the power is available, cheap and green.
Thus, the charging stations themselves become independent of the capacity of the electricity grid, and an electric car, that uses these stands, can be charged with 100 percent green energy.
“We look very much forward to test this exciting and innovative battery technology in PowerLabDK. The concept of fast charging combined with batteries will allow the integration of super chargers into the future smart power system based on 100 % renewable energy,” says Frida Frost, COO of PowerLabDK.
Several fast chargers present challenges
The other challenge is fast charging. There are already several charging stations that can recharge electric cars, which is equivalent to 350 kW. However, most passenger car batteries can only handle up to 50 kW. Therefore, the charging stations are equipped with so-called power electronics that can convert the current to fit the capacity of the individual car battery. Power electronics are the most expensive part of today's charging stands.
With TOPChargE, the power electronics become redundant. The battery is built with Nerve Switch® technology and consists of a number of modules with battery cells, where the cells can be switched on and off independently. A central controller adjusts the charge level to the car’s battery capacity in real time. It is a unique feature, that you can avoid the expensive power electronics that convert the power from the fast charger.
"We will be able to deliver a charging stand that is, at least, 30 percent cheaper than competing solutions, and at the same time halves the energy loss seen in existing power electronics," says Jesper Boie Rasmussen, CEO of Nerve Smart Systems ApS.
TOPChargE is being implemented in a strong and versatile consortium, consisting of the Technical University of Denmark, Nerve Smart Systems, Foresight and OK a.m.b.a. It is expected, that one of OK's 670 service stations will facilitate demonstration of charging levels at both technological and commercial levels.
A prototype of the Nerve Switch® battery was developed with funding from EUHorizon2020 and a private investor. With the TOPChargE project, which is supported by the Innovation Fund, the technology needs to be adapted in order for it to be a continuous and practical charging solution for electrical cars.
Nerve Smart Systems APS:
Work package leader in high-power charging, system integration and battery system design, as well as developing, designing and commissioning the high-power charger system.
DTU:
Will test the control of conventional electric car chargers in combination with a battery bank and test the prototype charger (B-HPCen) developed in the project. By extension, DTU contributes to testing and research into the integration between the B-HPC and the power grid.
OK a.m.b.a.:
With over 670 service stations, OK contributes to one of Denmark's most comprehensive mobility infrastructure in the transport sector for both business and private customers. OK therefore has an obvious platform for conducting a commercial test of the solution and receiving feedback from users. OK will also develop the IT system to manage the charging station and handle the billing of the customers.
Fremsyn ApS:
Will contribute with the financial analysis that will form the basis for various services related to the stabilization of electricity grids, as well as the business opportunities for the consortium partners.