The smart grid company gridX, based in Aachen and Munich, and ChargeOne, EV charging specialist and brand of the traditional Munich-based company Claus Heinemann Elektroanlagen GmbH, announce a partnership to optimize the energy management of charging infrastructure projects across Germany. The solution is based on gridX's IoT platform XENON and will from now on be used in ChargeOne's projects. The gridBox IoT gateway manages loads locally and allows ChargeOne’s customers to access load profiles via the cloud and control smart charging processes.
gridX’s energy management system enables the Munich-based charge point operator to build a more scalable charging infrastructure with the same network requirements in less time. To this end, the two companies have entered into a partnership with a provisional term of five years. ChargeOne has already equipped the first four charging parks, complete with over 150 charging points, with gridX technology. By the end of 2023, around 190 more locations will be equipped with gridBoxes, including hotels from the B&B Hotels chain.
Increasing demand for grid capacity
With the rapidly increasing demand for e-mobility, demand for grid infrastructure is also growing
With the rapidly increasing demand for e-mobility, demand for grid infrastructure is also growing. It is, however, not designed for high loads.
"German electricity grids and grid connection points are still not designed for large loads today, due to sluggish grid expansion. In addition, there are long waiting times and high costs for the expansion of grid connection points. Intelligent load management is crucial to optimize costs, protect fuses against overloads and enable more charging points at one location," says David Balensiefen, founder and Managing Director of gridX.
Smart load management for scalable charging infrastructure
An important part of gridX’s energy management system is smart dynamic load management. Loads are monitored and controlled so that neither sub-fuses nor grid connection points breach their limits – even with a large number of charging points or many simultaneous charging processes. Existing loads, for example from a building or a production facility, fluctuate drastically throughout the day.
Existing loads, for example from a building or a show facility, fluctuate drastically throughout the day
This changes the amount of available power. Dynamic load management facilitates local monitoring of the site in real-time to intelligently control and thus optimally utilize the available power. In this way, up to eight times as many charging points can be installed at one location. Alongside overload protection, smart energy management also enhances scalability, as sites with limited grid capacity can be equipped with charging infrastructure without time-consuming and cost-intensive construction measures.
Comments on the partnership between gridX and ChargeOne
"With ChargeOne, we have gained a highly motivated partner, who wants to enable, accelerate and shape the nationwide expansion of charging infrastructure. Since this inevitably requires scalable and manufacturer-independent solutions for energy and load management, ChargeOne is a perfect fit for gridX. Together, we can make an important contribution to the success of the mobility revolution," says David Balensiefen, Managing Director at gridX.
"To future proof e-mobility, no one should have to spend much time looking for a charging station. Our mission is to expand the charging infrastructure quickly and easily. We are therefore pleased to be working with partners, such as gridX, who allow us to offer customers energy-efficient and user-friendly control of charging points, as well as photovoltaic and battery systems," adds Robert Klug, Managing Director at ChargeOne.
