The intelligent optimization of electric vehicle charging is increasingly coming into focus due to the growing demand for electric cars and the greater decentralization of generation through photovoltaic systems. Flexibility in electricity consumption can be used to the advantage of consumers as well as electricity suppliers and grid operators. The newly passed “Act to Restart the Digitization of the Energy Transition” lays important foundations for the accelerated implementation of urgently needed solutions. The Karlsruhe-based start-up InnoCharge has now won a contract to demonstrate the benefits of innovative charging optimization based on Smart Meter Gateways in a competition of the German Energy Agency (dena).

Accelerated smart meter rollout paves the way for the next expansion stage of the energy transition

The “Act to Restart the Digitization of the Energy Transition” passed by the Bundestag on 20 April 2023 enables the scalable implementation of urgently needed solutions: With communication-capable smart meters, end customers with flexible loads will also be able to benefit from dynamic electricity prices and the provision of energy system services in future, while also contributing to the energy transition. Since electric vehicles in the company parking lot or at home are only actually charged for a fraction of the time they are parked, fully automated charging optimization offers various advantages.

Consume electricity when it is cheap and avoid grid bottlenecks

In particular, the increasing fluctuation in the supply of renewable energy from the sun and wind can be balanced out and the threat of grid bottlenecks due to the enormous market ramp-up of electromobility can be avoided. This is also necessary: In the period up to 2030, an increase in renewable electricity generation from 46% (2022) to 80% renewables in 2030 is planned. At the same time, a rapid ramp-up of electromobility from just over one million (2022) to 15 million fully electric cars in 2030 is targeted in Germany during this period. As this requires intelligent control, the parallel rollout of more than 130,000 smart meter gateways currently installed at electricity customers (2022) to more than 15 million by 2030 is required by law. This allows flexible loads to be controlled intelligently. However, this profound change requires new solutions and in-depth industry knowledge.

Piloting for scalable market-oriented and grid-friendly charging management

In this context, Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) provides services to implement the German government’s energy transition and climate protection goals. As a think tank, it advises business, politics and research on topics such as the future of energy supply, mobility and related digital technologies. To demonstrate the benefits of market-oriented and grid-friendly energy management based on the newly created infrastructure, dena has launched a pilot project for innovative start-ups with a sustainable and scalable business model. The aim is to demonstrate the benefits of the cost-reducing use of flexibility in electricity consumption for charging point operators in the field and to eliminate challenges that arise as a pioneer in the value-added use of the infrastructure rolled out on a large scale.

InnoCharge wins three-stage competition and secures contract

The high-tech start-up InnoCharge GmbH, which is on course for growth, won the three-stage competition for the pilot project. The spin-off of the Karlsruhe FZI Research Center for Information Technology has thus secured a contract worth a mid-six-figure euro sum. As a software provider, InnoCharge can look back on many years of experience in the field of cost-cutting, digital charging optimization. With InnoCharge charging optimization, operators of charging points in the business and home sector can already save charging costs and increase the proportion of renewable energy at the same time.

Dr. Manuel Lösch, Managing Director of InnoCharge GmbH, commented on the start of the pilot: “Our motivated and growing team is delighted about this project launch! Through this implementation with smart meter gateways, we will further expand our pioneering role in market-oriented and grid-supportive charging optimization and increase the scalability of our future-oriented solution.” Now that the kick-off has been completed, the twelve-month pilot phase will begin.

Contact:

Dr. Manuel Lösch
presse@innocharge.de
Tel. +49 721 9654 564