European regulations such as AFIR, EPBD, and RED III require that charging infrastructure must be smart-controllable, especially for new charge points. Bidirectional charging, where vehicles can be charged and also return electricity to the grid, is strongly encouraged due to its potential to help balance the electricity system. However, a concrete translation into technical requirements has been missing until now. ElaadNL has taken the initiative and written Technical requirements for purchasing and operating smart and bidirectional charging infrastructure. These technical requirements usable throughout Europe, form part of the SCALE project’s Guidelines for procuring smart and bidirectional charging infrastructure.
These technical requirements summarize a minimal and uniform set of recommendations for purchasing and operating smart and bidirectional charging infrastructure. They compile references to existing standards and protocols with the aim to provide clarity to all stakeholders. It uses the current state of technology as a foundation to ensure the deployment of future-proof EV charging infrastructure in the coming years. Furthermore, the guidelines provide consumers with a concrete perspective for actively participating in the energy market.
Frank Geerts (Project Coordinator): “We are proud of this milestone. It is an important step toward harmonized and future-proof charging infrastructure in Europe. The broad input on the draft version shows there is strong support to jointly advance smart and sustainable charging.”
The requirements have been developed based on extensive practical experience from the European project SCALE, public tenders for charging infrastructure across Europe, and findings from the Elaad Testlab. A draft version has been shared with a broad group of European stakeholders, including charge point manufacturers, charge point operators, mobility service providers, grid operators, energy suppliers, flexibility service providers, electric vehicle manufacturers, software companies, municipalities and provinces, research and knowledge institutions, and consultancies.
Successor to the Smart Charging Requirements
The SCALE procurement guidelines, including these technical requirements, will be submitted to the EU Smart Energy Expert Group to support the European Commission in the development of additional legislation. Smart and bidirectional charging makes the mobility transition more accessible to consumers, enhances the flexibility of the electricity system, and contributes to a stable, efficient, and sustainable energy system.
The guidelines have been developed as part of the European SCALE project and the Dutch program Smart Charging for All, which is part of the National Charging Infrastructure Agenda (NAL).
The technical requirements are available on the ElaadNL website:
https://elaad.nl/en/requirements-smart-and-bidirectional-charging-infrastructure
These technical requirements form part of the SCALE project’s Guidelines for procuring smart and bidirectional charging infrastructure, available here: https://scale-horizon.eu/?jet_download=6431
The European project SCALE is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 101056874. More information: https://scale-horizon.eu