Electric Car as Storage Battery for Regenerative Power

April 16, 2009 - 2:27 pm | 43 views

Technology.am (Apr. 16, 2009) — Fraunhofer researchers explore an idea that an electric car can stores power and, depending on variable utility rates, returns it to the power grid over the course of a day?

Fraunhofer Energy Alliance Researchers are examining ways to make this vision a reality “The electric car as storage battery for regenerative power.”

Scientists are working on a software program that intelligently controls the charge and discharge process of a battery. When energy prices are low, it charges the battery. If prices become high again, it returns energy to the network. Concurrently, researchers are also accounting for the habits of the driver. How far is it to the office? Does the driver always drive directly to work, or does he or she typically run a few trips? To what extent is the driver willing to discharge the battery if the compensation is high enough? The system is also to incorporate spontaneous needs. If there is a long distance trip ahead – such as a vacation trip – then the battery is not discharged, even at high energy prices. The battery has to be full when the vacation starts.

There are various approaches to billing, a meter in the car could record the power flow, and send the data at specified intervals to the utility supplier. These meters could also take over the identification and authentication functions by transmitting the vehicle owner’s customer number and the details regarding the network connection point.

Fraunhofer’s researchers are unveiling a model of their vision at the Hannover Messe from April 20 to 24. A remote-controlled car is parked at the front door, then it drives to the office and the supermarket. Light diodes indicate which power sources are available at the respective moment – wind, solar power or conventional energy resources – and a monitor reveals the energy prices depending on wind, sun and demand based on the time of day. Even the charge level of the battery and the amount of current the vehicle is currently using are displayed on the model.

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