The SSCH project will deploy ‘Super Smart Charging Hubs’ living labs in Vlissingen, Mechelen and Helsingborg and supports a SSCH in Copenhagen Fælledby.
A SSCH consists of a combination of proven technology: Renewable energy sources, batteries, Vehicle to Grid (V2G) enabled (shared) EVs, smart bi-directional charging infrastructure, an energy management system for load balancing and a ‘virtual power plant’ (VPP) that solves the business case as it aggregates energy within a portfolio.
To ensure the project takes into account stakeholders needs, the project entered into discussion with them: fleet owners, private car owners, energy supplier or traders, local energy communities and district system / grid operators. But also with potential suppliers of the equipment or stakeholders related to building and exploiting the SSCHs such as grid operators, owners of solar panels and real estate.
Based on discussions with them, the project gained the following insights:
- Establishing a robust business case for a SSCH is challenging due to uncertainties in regulation, tax on energy, technological development, and economic incentives.
- In all living labs, taxation and energy duties impact financial viability. Clear and supportive regulatory frameworks from the government are needed to promote these initiatives and ensure their economic sustainability.
- The availability of emerging technologies such as electric vehicles, charging solutions, and energy management systems does not seem to be a hurdle, although ensuring compatibility and future-proofing the selected solutions is crucial.
- In terms of the locations of a SSCH, the project learned that it is difficult to build a SSCH on public grounds. It among others appeared that different departments of the same public authority were not aligned on the matter, leading to the decision to build the SSCH on private grounds instead.
- Additionally, locations are of importance when it comes to the usage of the offer of charging infrastructure and potentially also shared mobility. This among others resulted in a decision to reconsider the location of one of the SSCHs, which is now planned closer to the city center.
- In relation to grid congestion, the opportunity we want to exploit is the demand for flexibility from the grid operator. A SSCH offers that, and since the grid operator rewards this flexibility in some areas, this could improve the business case of the SSCH. This does however depend on the location chosen.
- Grid operators (DSO’s) must adapt their infrastructure and processes to efficiently integrate and manage energy from numerous (small) producers and need to adopt new technologies, e.g. smart charging, bidirectional charging and the allowance to contract on flexible/limited grid connections.
- For real estate where for instance solar panels will be installed and the land where the SSCH will be built, the business case is at least as important as the sustainability aspect.