We are switching en masse to electric driving, heat pumps and sustainable solutions in our homes and businesses. This is good news for progress in the energy transition, but it also requires a smarter use of our power grid.
Whether you already drive electric or are still orienting yourself toward an electric car, chances are you’ve heard the term grid congestion pass by. We often think this is caused by a shortage of power, but that’s not the case. The real problem? We often use our power at exactly the same time, causing the grid to be overloaded at certain times.
Peak times occur, for example, between 07:00 and 10:00 and between 16:00 and 21:00. While you plug in your EV, the neighbor is turning on the heat pump and the baker is running his ovens at full power. That simultaneity puts pressure on the power grid. So it’s not about how much we use, it’s about when and how much power we use at the same time.
Smart charging and grid-aware charging
Smart charging, smart charging, grid-aware charging what does it all mean?
Smart charging is an umbrella term for techniques that tune the charging process to external factors, such as a low energy price or the availability of solar power.
Grid-aware charging is a specific form of smart charging. Here we look not only at price or sustainability, but also at the available capacity on the electricity grid. The goal is simple: prevent peaks and keep the grid stable for everyone.
In practice, this means that the system may temporarily delay charging slightly when the grid is very busy. This happens automatically and only when necessary. In this way, we ensure that everyone can keep charging and that the electricity grid continues to function reliably.
For existing EV drivers, this means more certainty. For future EV drivers, it means that electric driving remains reliable and feasible even on a large scale.
How does that work in practice?
Behind the scenes, our charging stations take into account the current capacity of the grid. We don’t look at one individual charging point, but at groups of charging points within an entire area. This is how we keep the total capacity in balance.
The available power is distributed fairly among the cars charging at that time. Is it very busy on the grid? Then we temporarily reduce the charging capacity per car slightly. As soon as there is room again, the power goes up automatically.
As an EV driver, you don’t have to do anything different from what you’re used to. You plug in your car and the system takes care of the rest. Only the rate may vary, depending on how busy the grid is.
What do you notice as a (future) EV driver?
In most cases, you won’t notice anything about grid-aware charging. Only during the morning or evening rush hour may charging take a little longer than usual. On the other hand, you can always charge and the power grid remains stable.
Are you still at the beginning of your electric driving orientation? Then this is good to know: the charging infrastructure is constantly evolving as the number of electric cars grows. Smart technology ensures that the system not only works today, but also in the future.
We consider transparency important in this regard. That’s why we communicate actively via our website and social media channels about developments around smart charging and grid congestion. This makes it easy to stay informed about updates, improvements and new possibilities.
Why this is important
A public charging station is not an island, but part of a large and complex energy system. Homes, businesses and renewable energy generation are all connected to the same power grid and demand capacity there simultaneously. Grid-conscious charging is an indispensable link to make smart use of the available capacity within this system.
By working closely with grid operators and better coordinating charging times, we prevent overcharging. The goal is not to charge less, but to keep capacity available and to make the system as fair and efficient as possible for everyone. This is how we keep electric driving scalable, reliable and future-proof – also for the next generation of EV drivers.
Looking Ahead
The energy transition requires smart choices. At the same time, this transition is constantly evolving. Legislation, technology, grid capacity and user behavior are constantly evolving. There is no fixed end point; tomorrow’s energy system is being shaped step by step through innovation and collaboration.
Therefore, net-aware charging continues to undergo continuous development.
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This is how we build a stable and future-proof energy system together.