Energy optimiser GridBeyond and electric vehicle (EV) charging platform Monta have collaborated on technology which uses EV chargers to maintain grid stability.
Monta’s technology operates by powering the electricity grid with one integrated platform to service all types of EV customers, from drivers to companies to cities as a whole.
GridBeyond, which has an in-depth understanding of UK grid connectivity issues, will be able to use Monta’s platform to forecast periods of imbalance and allocate the flexibility provided for Monta’s charges under market programmes.
EV chargers are often concentrated in urban areas where grid contribution becomes crucial during times of imbalance. The partnership aims to tackle this issue by offering increased stability.
The firm has confirmed that the testing stage is well underway and has already delivered successful results already.
Michael Kent, GridBeyond’s head of EV solutions said: “GridBeyond are delighted to be partnering with Monta in this innovate solution to help balance the local and national grids. As EV ownership grows, the opportunity that these types of services give can provide a useful solution across the UK.”
The grid connectivity the UK needs
This collaborative project was no doubt brought about to help correct GB grid infrastructure, which has been called into question as to whether it is able to facilitate the UK’s ever-growing demand in generation capacity.
In an exclusive guest blog with Current±, Matthew Boulton, director of solar, storage and private wire at EDF Renewables UK, expanded on the severe delays for developers waiting to connect to GBs grid infrastructure, with many having to wait until the mid-2030s for a connection date.
In November 2023 , National Grid ESO was granted permission to terminate projects that were blocking up the grid connection queue in a bid to tackle the problem, with the organisation citing that roughly 114GW of 371GW worth of projects had a listed start date before 2029.
Moreover, the International Energy Agency (IEA) had previously reported that the world requires another 80 million kilometres of grid by 2040 in order to reach climate targets and that annual global investment must be doubled to £495 billion up until 2030.
