On May 7th, industry leaders and experts gathered in Athens for the final EV4EU event in Greece, titled “Harvest EV Flexibility: Technologies & Business Models.”
Organized by partners HEDNO and Public Power Corporation (PPC), the session provided a platform to showcase results from the Greek pilot while exploring the regulatory and commercial pathways for integrating Electric Vehicles (EVs) into the modern grid.
The session kicked off with a welcome speech by Nikos Stefanakis, Deputy Director of Research & Development at HEDNO, setting the scene for the discussions ahead, followed by an in-depth presentation of the Greek pilot by Antonios Koutounidis (HEDNO).
The pilot demonstrates how localized EV infrastructure can be optimized to support grid stability.
Building on these results, two innovative software tools developed by the project team were presented:
- The DSO Support System (DSS), presented by Ilias Manitaris, is designed to help Distribution System Operators manage the increasing load from EVs.
- The Open-V2X-Management Platform (O-V2X-MP), presented by Evangelos Karfopoulos, facilitates the management of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) interactions.
Following the round of presentations, a central highlight of the day was a multidisciplinary panel discussion featuring voices from academia, energy providers, and network operators centered on the ‘triple challenge’ of EV flexibility: Technology, Business, and Regulation.
Moderated by Sotiris Christopoulos, (Senior Research Manager at HEDNO), the panel explored key topic related to electric mobility:
- An analysis of how Greek electricity market mechanisms can be leveraged to exploit EV flexibility was presented by Dimitrios Papadaskalopoulos , Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Patras. He further outlined the regulatory reforms necessary to ensure these mechanisms operate efficiently and support the widespread adoption of flexibility services.
- The critical role of the end user in the success of the V2G ecosystem was explored by Apostolos Chouliaras, e-Mobility Marketing Director at PPC Blue. From a Charge Point Operator (CPO) perspective, he examined whether current V2G business models are mature enough for implementation and how international research can be utilized to improve user acceptance and scalability.
- The distribution network operator’s perspective on V2G and its potential value for the grid was provided by Christos Krasopoulos, Electromobility Section Head at HEDNO. His contribution emphasized the importance of evaluating both the operational opportunities and the potential network impacts before proceeding with large-scale deployment.
- A technical and commercial assessment of the maturity of smart charging and Vehicle-to-Grid technologies was delivered by Evangelos Karfopoulos, Senior Researcher and PPC external partner. He reflected on the necessity of building consumer trust, emphasizing that user confidence is a prerequisite for allowing third-party control over vehicle charging and battery usage.
- The vital role of forecasting, monitoring, and algorithmic tools in enabling EV flexibility was detailed by Antonios Koutounidis, Project Manager at HEDNO. He highlighted the need for future research to transition these technologies from pilot-level solutions into practical services, underscoring the importance of large-scale testing.
A key takeaway from the event was that EV flexibility is no longer only a technical concept, the transition to a flexible energy future requires a unified approach. By aligning regulatory frameworks with innovative business models and user-centric design, EV4EU continues to shape the way for real-world EV deployment across Europe.
Learn more about the Greek Demonstrator here.