Bidirectional connection of commercial vehicles for greater grid stability and increased efficiency (BANNER)

Project description

The innovative character of the project is given by the use of forecasting and communication tools for grid recovery. The top-down structure of classic architectures is not suitable for distributed systems, particularly in terms of resilience. The approach pursued in this project of combining decentralized status measurement systems at bidirectional charging stations with novel algorithms for coordination functions and extended communication scenarios enables a high degree of resilience and autonomy for the system.

A flexible and open ecosystem is created that is not limited to pure flexibility trading, but enables a wide variety of applications (including black start and green power-optimized power purchase) and remuneration models. Another innovation is the inclusion of electric trucks, which pose new challenges in terms of hardware technology. Figure 2 shows how BANNER's innovations fit into the overall context.

The possibilities for control in the low voltage are currently still very limited or are carried out via technologies without a feedback channel (ripple control). Current control intervention is carried out according to the "watering can principle" with a high level of redundancy. With the roll-out of iMSys, considerable improvements can be achieved in the digitalization of low-voltage grids, so that operations can be much more targeted and regional. The actual grid intervention can therefore be carried out much more precisely and on a much smaller scale. This can also take account of the basic idea behind the amendment to Section 14a of the Energy Industry Act, which provides for the installation of controllable consumers in order to avoid local grid overload situations. In addition to confirming the execution of the control system, the future feedback channels will also allow the direct recording of the control effect. The project addresses the integration of bidirectional charging points into the energy industry. However, what at first glance appears to be a simple system is made up of many components and participants. In addition to the required hardware, i.e. the bidirectional connection of the direct current vehicle battery with the alternating current distribution grid, other components are of crucial importance: software, communication, safety, sensors and intelligence are also required.

In addition, all players in this system must be effectively linked together. The fleet operator, for example, wants a certain range at time X, the distribution grid operator wants coordinated purchase or generation of electrical energy. The consortium cannot carry out these developments in the greenfield, but is dependent on carrying out all the necessary steps in the brownfield, as some of the components are already in use and standards or application rules exist for parts of the system. As all relevant players could be brought together in the project, the complete system of the bidirectional charging point with all components and players can be set up internally, tested and evaluated component by component and then as a system, first in a safe test environment and finally in a field test with the users. In addition, low-cost charging points will be integrated into the iMSys ecosystem with a view to the system service. The broad customer network of U-Glow and REMONDIS, which is available for testing individual functions, will provide support.

Focal points of the project

• Bidirectional charging (V2G/V2X) of commercial vehicles to provide grid-supporting system services

• Resilient energy infrastructures through decentralized, AI-supported control and forecasting models

• Interoperable system architecture that integrates existing brownfield components (iMSys, telecontrol technology, RLM)

• Secure communication protocols (including IEC 61850, MQTT, IDS) for vehicle-charging point-network operator convergence

• Intelligent grid status analysis for predicting critical situations and optimizing energy use

• Context-based coordination functions for automated charging and discharging decisions

• Laboratory and field tests to validate prototypes, interfaces and algorithms

• Contribution to EU decarbonization, grid flexibilization and sustainable integration of renewable energies