Stability of Future Power Grids Depends on Electric Vehicles like Trucks and Buses
In a recent report, ENTSO-E, the entity managing the electricity transmission networks in Europe, has emphasized the importance of investigating the technical limits of demand response and load balancing with regard to Heavy Duty Electric Vehicles (HDEVs).
The report suggests that HDEVs could play a vital role in the transition towards a more flexible and sustainable energy system. To facilitate this, a regulatory framework is proposed that includes provisions for data exchange, digitalization for cross-sector integration, and allowing HDEVs to participate in electricity markets on par with other flexibility resources.
Transmission System Operators (TSOs) mentioned in the report include 50Hertz, Amprion, TenneT, and TransnetBW in Germany; Svenska kraftnät in Sweden, Norway, and Finland; Transelectrica in Romania; and others covering countries like Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Greece, Switzerland, Slovakia, Czechia, and more. These TSOs operate the high-voltage transmission grids to ensure electricity flow and grid stability across Europe.
The report highlights the evolving electric mobility landscape and its interaction with the electricity grid. Opportunity charging and highway charging during short intervals may offer limited flexibility, but depot charging during night or off-service hours can provide grid services such as demand response and load balancing.
The feasibility of utilizing HDEVs for grid services depends on the technical capabilities of the charging infrastructure and the vehicle's Battery Management System. The charging systems must be capable of adjusting the charging load profile in response to grid signals.
The report encourages discussions among policymakers, industry stakeholders, and TSOs about HDEVs as a crucial element in transitioning towards a flexible and sustainable energy system. The decision to engage in smart charging for HDEVs will depend on the driver, influenced by various objective and subjective factors.
Buses and trucks, due to their predictable routes and schedules, are ideal for planned charging that can align with grid needs. A clear regulatory framework, coupled with incentives and attractive business models, is essential for the integration of HDEVs into flexibility services.
To gain insights into grid impacts, responses to time-varying tariffs, and the flexibility potential of HDEVs, ENTSO-E is advocating for more research and demonstration projects. Pilot projects and regulatory sandboxes are suggested as effective methods for this purpose.
Collaboration between TSOs and fleet operators is highlighted as an important step in understanding HDEV charging patterns and costs. ENTSO-E encourages such collaborative efforts for a better understanding of HDEVs' role in grid services.
This report serves as a platform for discussions on the role of HDEVs in the transition towards a more flexible and sustainable energy system. The need for further exploration of HDEVs' role in grid services is underscored, and the report underscores the need for continued dialogue and collaboration among all stakeholders.
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