Category: Innovation Infrastructure
Powerparking: using parked cars as an energy system
“Interesting things can be done with electric cars” says Rishabh Ghotge of PowerParking. He is the project manager and TU Delft researcher of this innovation that is now live at The Green Village. “This research is part of the larger project that is to be completed at Lelystad Airport Business Park,” says Dennis Meerburg, co-initiator of PowerParking. Ad van Wijk, professor of Future Energy Systems at the 3ME faculty of TU Delft, supervises this Vehicle-2-Grid project.
What will they test at The Green Village?
There is more potential in car batteries than just use as storage capacity for transport. You can also discharge the batteries when the cars are parked when the energy is needed in the micro grid to which they are connected. “At Lelystad Airport, energy can be used to illuminate the runway,” says Dennis.
Buffering and peak shaving
The batteries in combination with smart software can also contribute to stabilizing the load on the electricity network: peak shaving.
Rishab explains that there is a peak in energy demand when everyone comes home in the afternoon and early evening and “they turn on all their stuff.” He draws a curve. “That is also the time when the electric car returns to the house and is placed on the charger.” He draws the peak twice as high. “A car requires as much energy as an entire house.” The microgrid software can arrange for the car to be charged only at night, or more slowly.
Investments less urgent
The increase in the amount of electric cars and locally generated energy puts enormous pressure on the electricity network at certain moments. In order to continue to facilitate those peaks in supply and demand, network operators are faced with the decision to make investments in the replacement of cables and transformers. A costly intervention in uncertain circumstances, “because the increase in electric cars and solar panels is unpredictable,” Rishabh said. Smartly controlled micro grids and the batteries in them can, therefore, play a stabilizing role, making the investments of network operators less urgent.
Testen in het klein
In Lelystad zal een systeem gebouwd worden met honderd parkeerplaatsen. De overkapping vol zonnepanelen, en een koppeling aan het gelijkstroomnet van het bedrijvenpark.
In the living lab for sustainable innovation – The Green Village – on the TU Delft campus, PowerParking works with a carport including solar panels, one car and an inhabited house. A student lives in this Prêt-à-Loger house. “To simulate energy consumption peaks, I have asked him to turn on all the lights, load his equipment and wash his clothes,” Rishabh laughs.
He and a master’s student from the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management are investigating the operation of the system, efficiency, user interface and user experiences at The Green Village.
Wholesale pilot
Dennis is involved as an area developer at Lelystad Airport Businesspark. “Among other things, we are busy creating jobs there and also want to be a testing ground for sustainable area development.” Thinking about that, the conversation came to utilize the battery capacity of the parked cars. Delft University of Technology soon joined. Fortunately, the ERDF subsidy was also awarded, and Eneco and Van Alfen (electrical system integration -red.-) participated. “What has been learned in detail at The Green Village can be transplanted to Lelystad in the future,” says Rishabh. For now, that part of the project is on hold in view of the uncertainties about the expansion of Lelystad Airport. For safety’s sake, power parking is looking for an alternative location in Flevoland. “But a pilot on such a large parking lot is interesting. The more cars, the more useful the predictions we make of arrival time and length of stay. We can then plan better.
Why should you allow using your battery?
The social embrace is an important factor in the success of V2G projects like this. Does a car owner want to use his car in this way? If so, under what conditions is he prepared to do so? How much should the reimbursement be? How do you give all this legal form? That parked cars can have a useful function, Rishab explains with a comparison:
“It looks a bit like Airbnb. The owner has invested in a house and rents out a room that he does not use. He earns money and makes someone happy with it. That is more efficient for everyone.” He adds: “It would also allow using the same battery in two ways.”
This article originates from: thegreenvillage.org
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