Large-scale pilot grid-aware charging enables shifting charging peak

A large-scale pilot on grid-aware charging at public charging stations shows promising results in reducing grid congestion. The preliminary results of a trial in North Brabant and Limburg show that at least half of the charging peak can be shifted to the evening and night with limited impact on electric drivers. Those who really must charge can also make use of a temporary opt-out.

Minister Jasper Kuntzelaers (Mobility) of the Province of Limburg: "This pilot shows that we can find smart solutions to make better use of our electricity grid. By shifting the peak of electric car charging to times when there is less pressure on the grid, we ensure that every motorist has enough energy without having to make large and expensive adjustments to the grid immediately."

The grid-aware charging pilot is an initiative of grid operator Enexis, charging station operator Vattenfall and both provinces. It is part of a broader strategy by grid operators, charging station operator, government and other stakeholders to future-proof the electricity grid. The trial ran from November 2024 through March 2025 at nearly 800 public charging stations (1,600 charging points) across nine regions in North Brabant and Limburg. The aim was to create more space on the electricity grid at peak times by limiting the capacity of charging stations.

Minister Bas Maes (Climate & Energy) of the province of North Brabant said, "Society faces a challenge in the coming years. As we go off the gas, we must ensure that - despite the limited capacity of the current energy grid - everyone has enough power. This requires creative solutions. Smart solutions like this one can make optimal use of the available grid capacity. "

Charge rate adjusted

The charging speed of the poles was adjusted during the trial based on the available space on the power grid and the number of electric cars charging at the same time. During peak times, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., charging capacity was reduced. After 9 p.m., the available grid space gradually increased again, with full power available around 11 p.m. Cooperation with the app TapElectric ensured that users were informed of grid restrictions via the app and could opt-out.

The pilot shows that it is often possible to defer usage. During the night, enough power is available to charge a full battery. Many charging sessions are still completed on time, with no need for users to stop charging early.

The pilot is distinguished by its scale, with the modification of nearly 800 charging stations on the low-voltage grid having a significant impact on low- and medium-voltage grids, which in turn are connected to the national high-voltage grid.

Promising

"The results of this pilot are promising and it is now important to scale up quickly," says Maarten Venselaar, portfolio director Mobility at Enexis. "The electricity grid is filling up rapidly and grid costs are rising. In addition, the sustainable mobility transition continues at a rapid pace. The efficient integration of electric vehicles is necessary to make the energy transition possible. With this project, the entire chain is involved: government, grid operator, charging station operator and electric driver."

After this pilot, further expansion of grid-aware charging to all public charging stations tendered by both provinces will be considered. Enexis also wants to extend this approach to the rest of its service area (Groningen, Drenthe and Overijssel). The aim is to apply grid-conscious charging at all charging stations where technically possible. This will only be applied if the low and medium voltage grid is at risk of overloading. Meanwhile, the cooperation partners are working on adding charging points from operators other than Vattenfall. They are also investigating how electric drivers can be rewarded if they cooperate with grid-aware charging.

Alied Wessels Boer, Director Vattenfall InCharge: "Thanks to good cooperation between market parties and grid operator, we can create more flexibility on the electricity grid with smart charging solutions. And in doing so take into account the interests of the electric driver. Enexis, the provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and Tap Electric are leading the way in this and we hope that more parties will apply this. We look forward to the further rollout."