Companies from the energy, transport and technology sectors have joined forces to explore how electric vehicles (EVs) can facilitate energy storage solutions that link up to onsite renewable installations and building energy management systems (BEMS) on office buildings.
Energy company ENGIE, motor firm Mitsubishi and technology and battery developers Hitachi Europe are working together to create the “vehicle-to-everything” (V2X) charger and connect it to ENGIE’s office building in Zaandam in the Netherlands.
The V2X charger, developed by Hitachi, can be used to recharge EVs and also discharge energy back into buildings or to grids at different flexibilities and frequencies. These chargers can also connect to solar panels and external storage systems to ensure a renewable electricity supply when charging the vehicle or powering the building.
For the next stage of the project, the companies will explore how EVs and BEMS can work together to develop energy-neutral buildings, with each office building acting as a self-sufficient microgrid. According to the companies involved, the developed infrastructure will help lower emissions and save on energy costs.
Hitachi Europe’s chief digital officer Ram Ramachander said: “This project demonstrates how our IoT and digital capabilities can help customers make buildings energy-neutral, increasing their energy efficiency and reducing costs, by optimising EV charging infrastructure.
Read more: Edie