Covering Disruptive Technology Powering Business in The Digital Age

Written By: Thomas Goetzl, VP & GM Automotive & Energy Solutions, Keysight Technologies

The countdown for automotive players to meet greener energy deadlines is powering towards the end of the decade, when they come into play. But accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and meeting the mandates, require significant and sustainable changes. One area that needs more attention is how to energise the transition to an electric-powered future. 

With the demand for electricity expected to grow nearly 20% by 2050 due to EVs and other clean tech initiatives, grids are under immense pressure. With aging infrastructure already under strain in many countries, supporting this growth is not practical with established electricity value chains, as well as generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption parameters. Successfully powering the transition means that utilities and the broader ecosystem must collaborate and look at energy capacity in new ways.

As more EVs take to the road, coupled with fast charging networks, the growing load on grids could drive a mismatch of supply and demand, increasing the likelihood of system-wide failures. Moving forward, interoperability and intelligent energy management are vital, requiring all parties, including governments, to develop roadmaps to ensure necessary capacity.

Renewable energy resources, including wind and solar, will help. But their inherent variability has the potential to further exacerbate supply/demand mismatch challenges. This is why energy storage is so important. Careful coordination and intelligent utilization are critical to ensure a balance between demand and generation.

Let’s look at the road ahead in terms of what smart energy must encompass to support the EV future.

Energy Generation and Distribution

Centralised generation and unidirectional power flow are not the answer to solving the problem. Instead, innovations such as bidirectional power flow, which takes energy from the grid when demand is low to recharge the car and then sells the excess power back to the grid, will be critical. Tesla’s opt-in program sends power from its batteries back to the grid during peak demand.

The shift to vehicle-to-grid (V2G) turns EVs into energy storage systems that can relieve pressure on the grid. New intelligent power conversion technology and utility communication capabilities built into EVs and charging stations enable V2G. In addition, they allow cars to communicate with and help stabilize the grid by using the onboard battery as a grid-tied energy storage system. Bidirectional chargers are starting to become available, with Nissan introducing its first version. However, they are expensive and often require additional specialised hardware. Encouraging individuals to embrace V2G will require utilities to implement an incentive program to accelerate uptake.

Utilities, automotive companies, and charging infrastructure organisations must collaborate to use EVs as energy storage distributed energy resources (DERs) to support the grid and improve resiliency. Adding innovative energy storage solutions is critical as building out capacity to the existing grid is not viable. And enabling higher levels of renewable energy supports sustainability efforts and net zero initiatives.

Interoperability and Standardisation

Another component of smart energy management is making interoperability mandatory. The existing grid is fragmented, and regulations are vital so the industry ecosystem can function in unison. For example, EVs and charging stations must meet new and evolving standards for DER interconnection and interoperability with the power grid. Regulatory hurdles will need to be overcome to support V2G for vehicles to actively participate in the health of the grid rather than simply being a drain. Once this is in place, utility operators can manage DERs as a resource to accommodate the diverse energy mix and shifting demands.

“As more EVs take to the road, coupled with fast charging networks, the growing load on grids could drive a mismatch of supply and demand, increasing the likelihood of system-wide failures. Moving forward, interoperability and intelligent energy management are vital, requiring all parties, including governments, to develop roadmaps to ensure necessary capacity.”

In the U.S., FERC and NERC are working to clear a path for DERs to play a more prominent role in the energy ecosystem. For example, FERC 2222 enables DERs to be part of the wholesale energy markets run by regional grid operators. This will incentivise DER adoption and lower costs, adding flexibility and resiliency to support more innovation.

Visibility

Utility organisations need to digitise their infrastructure to have the necessary visibility to deploy energy resources dynamically. With DERs, managing the distribution network is much more complex. In addition, fast-charging networks will result in unpredictable load surges, making more granularity vital. Over time, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will be incorporated to provide the intelligence to predict, plan and manage EV charging to ensure the required resiliency and support dynamic load management. Utility operators need detailed insights to manage power generators and distribution.

High-Power Grid-Edge Testing

As modern grids evolve, they will become increasingly digitised to manage and optimise energy distribution. DERs will be incorporated, supported by advanced power converters and inverters to enable the flow of power both ways. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) will store excess energy that can flow back to the grid during demand peaks. Testing the converters and inverters in the power grid, their interoperability with each other and utilities and energy management systems is essential to ensure safety and performance across complex DER networks.

Off-Peak Rates to Spread Out Demand

Utility companies are starting to adopt flexible rate structures to better balance demand and alleviate pressure on the grid. Time-of-day electricity pricing has lower rates during off-peak times. These programs and others such as EV and solar tax rebates, are important tools for providers to encourage participation and build social acceptance.

“Centralised generation and unidirectional power flow are not the answer to solving the problem. Instead, innovations such as bidirectional power flow, which takes energy from the grid when demand is low to recharge the car and then sells the excess power back to the grid, will be critical.”

Achieving mass adoption of EVs is complex and smart energy management is a foundational part of making this a reality. With demand for electricity set to soar, the energy and automotive sectors must collaborate and operate in lockstep if the electric transformation is to become a reality.

(0)(0)