Smart Power Systems (SPS) has installed its first evGRID product to manage electric vehicle (EV) charging as part of the Smart Hubs vehicle-to-grid (V2G) project at Newcastle University.
evGRID uses SPS’ smartPHASE technology, which acts as a control system to optimise battery usage and time of charge, selecting and integrating power sources from stationary batteries, the EV battery, grid supply and renewable sources and enables peer-to-peer supply and trading between EVs.
The project is set to enable EVs to contribute to grid resilience, as well as allowing for better exploitation of renewable sources and lowering the cost of ownership for EV drivers. It will result in new income opportunities and rewards for EV users and energy consumers, SPS said.
The project was part-funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and delivered through Innovate UK.
Dr Neal Wade, lecturer in power systems at Newcastle University, said the project uses “world class power system modelling and laboratory facilities”, enabling it to demonstrate and generalise the DC microgrid concept.
Recent research into V2G from Nissan, E.On and Imperial College London found that the technology could help deliver overall power system costs savings of between £420 million and £885 million per year during the next decade, with the charging benefits for fleets ranging between £700-£1,250 per vehicle.