On the 22nd of February, EDP NEW and SEL organised a workshop at EDA HQ, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, to unveil the latest developments of the Portuguese EV4EU demonstrator and to address homeowners’ concerns about V2X technologies. The event also aimed to provide insights into the next steps and duties / rights of participants.
The event was led by representatives from the Portuguese partner institutions involved in the pilot project, namely João Filipe Mateus (EDP NEW), Catarina Rocha (Smart Energy Lab), Francisco Soares Branco (EDP NEW) and Catarina Nogueira (Smart Energy Lab).
The Azores demonstrator aims to test V2X strategies that facilitate electric vehicle charging in homes, building and companies. Nine demo sites are being implemented and tested in the island: EDA Campus with charging stations, V2X and network services; Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory (LREC – Laboratório Regional de Engenharia Civil) with controllable load, vehicle-to-building (V2B), and service network; and 7 other sites with field test in houses where smart charging, vehicle-to-home (V2H) and service network will be tested.
“We are currently in the installation and commissioning phase, presenting an opportune time to address concerns with all participants and provide clarification on the upcoming steps. Additionally, throughout this week, we had the opportunity to visit each location, survey all the needs, and meet individually with each participant. This is extremely valuable for setting up each location and establishing engagement with each person.”, explains João Mateus.
During the event, Catarina Rocha from the Smart Energy Lab presented the Living Energy Lab platform that will be used to monitor the variables to be tested under the project. Each participant will have a login to access the platform and will be able to check the equipment monitored in their home.
“We are excited to establish a permanent means of communication with users, not only through Living Energy Lab but also via WhatsApp. It’s a friendly way to enhance the flow of information and promptly address user needs. We hope this will be a win-win situation for everyone.” shares Catarina Rocha.
Throughout the event, designated Q&A sessions provided participants with the opportunity to share and clarify any doubts and uncertainties related to the project. Interactive dynamics were fostered using flags (Green – Comfortable, Yellow – Somewhat Concerned, Red – Extremely Concerned), which each participant raised before and after discussions on each topic.
Additionally, each participant wrote a question on paper that will be addressed in a later stage.
“Battery degradation is a major concern. Our developments and studies show that the impact of V2X technologies on battery degradation is negligible, less than 0.5%.”, adds Catarina Nogueira.
According to Francisco Soares Branco “It’s important for each participant to understand that not only will their homes and EVs play a crucial role in the grid of the future, but it will also bring benefits to them and the entire system. Important savings can be realized when we optimize the EV charging process by combining it with self-production and system renewables.”
The two EV4EU local partners, EDA – Electricidade dos Açores represented by Tarcísio Silva and Carlos Martins, and Direção Regional de Energia (Governo dos Açores) by Miguel Quinto, served as the first point of contact for each test location. EDA, in collaboration with EDP NEW and SEL, conducted technical visits to each location to assess individual needs and identify the right configuration for each place based on user requirements.
Over the next few months, the plan is to install and commission the equipment and solutions at each location and initiate a monitoring phase to assess the proper functioning of each place. Subsequently, the control and monitoring will commence, and the initial results will begin to emerge.
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