In cooperation with E.ON and the University of Duisburg Essen, the smart grid company gridX has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that optimises charging processes in conjunction with dynamic load management based on historical charging data, energy quantities and vehicle idle times. gridX already equipped an office location of the Essen-based E.ON Group with dynamic load management last year, which is now being taken to the next level with the help of artificial intelligence.
The dynamic load management from gridX incorporates customer requirements into the charging processes. It is possible to choose between different charging modes, for example "equal", in which the available electricity is distributed equally to all charging points, and "first come, first serve" can also be set so that the charging points that are occupied first are given priority. Another variant is priority charging, in which specific charging points are given preference. The AI-based intelligent energy management takes into account the building load and the grid connection point to avoid costs and overloads: The available energy is dynamically divided between the charging stations and the individual charging processes are constantly optimised so that the entire electricity capacity is used.
With the help of AI, it is determined how long the user's parking and charging time is likely to take according to experience and what amount of energy must be made available for this. Based on the calculations, the load management determines the prioritisation of the charging processes so that each user is charged on time for departure according to demand. The user does not have to provide any information - it works automatically, without any additional effort. The AI determines the values as soon as the customer has connected his vehicle to the charging station.
Andreas Booke, Managing Director of gridX, explains:
"In addition to the charging modes that can be selected by the charge point operator, gridX's load management now also uses artificial intelligence to optimise the charging processes. Now, user habits are automatically incorporated to further improve the charging experience, as parking times and the amount of energy required vary from user to user."
In December 2020, the first successful tests of AI-based charging management were carried out at an E.ON site. Now the control system is being used in ongoing operations. The knowledge gained will be used to continuously refine the calculated forecasts. The use of the technology is another way of enabling customer-oriented charging and a further step towards making e-mobility suitable for everyday use and cost-efficient.
Lioudmila Simon, Head Networked Mobility at E.ON Innovation, explains:
"We are very excited about the newly developed AI-based charging management. Our goal is to include this technology in E.ON's eMobility product portfolio after successful testing in order to make it available to our customers. Increasing charging demands can be realised with the expansion in an uncomplicated and cost-effective way by making the best possible use of the capacity - this technology can also be used when expanding the infrastructure."
In an initial test pilot, the newly developed load management made it possible to distribute up to 30 per cent more energy to electric vehicles than was possible with the previous dynamic load management. This makes operator models even more profitable, as they have the opportunity to sell larger amounts of electricity.
gridX is Europe's leading smart energy company based in Aachen and Munich. With its IoT platform XENON, gridX enables manufacturer-independent monitoring and management of distributed energy resources. XENON allows partners to develop and scale energy management solutions faster than ever before. By partnering with gridX, Fastned is able to install more charging points at sites without the need for costly grid extensions, and the Viessmann Group is able to offer its customers intelligent and integrated home energy management systems.
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