The rise of the electric car and its mass adoption raise numbers of challenges in multiples domains: from the deployment of a reliable, fast, and widely distributed charging infrastructure to the development of high-quality services for electric vehicles (EV) drivers willing to access this infrastructure, not to mention the absolute need to integrate these new components into the overall electrical system. Electromobility is set to play a central role in the transition to green energy, provided it is intelligently and securely integrated into the electricity grid.
Using an European energy data space, following GAIA-X secured framework, provides opportunities for innovation and research in this domain as enhanced visibility into charging infrastructure location, access and consumption, allows grid operators (distribution system operators (DSOs) and transmission system operators (TSOs)) to optimize congestion management and grid reinforcement plans. Concerning the development of new forms of mobility driven by the emergence of MaaS (Mobility-as-a-Service), this same enhanced visibility of a wide range of recharging infrastructures throughout Europe would enrich the experience of EV drivers by guaranteeing them access to charging services when and wherever they want.
OMEGA-X supports the electromobility domain by enabling the exchange of data and services between heterogeneous and multiple charging networks and third parties willing to interact with them. These third parties could either be in relation to MaaS (i.e mobility service provider offering EV charge booking to EV drivers) or the grid domain (i.e flexibility aggregator offering services to the TSO or DSO; Granular certificate of origin registry offering the ability for an EV driver to match its charging session with a green production of electricity).
Roaming of EV charge booking services
The first and most advanced use case of the electromobility use case family deals with the transposition of the principles of EV charge roaming and intermediation services to a data space to enable the reservation of charging services of third parties (Charge Point Operators (CPO) and E-Mobility Service Providers (EMSP)) willing to interact with the current electromobility ecosystem.
The OMEGA-X partners Gireve, Worldgrid and EDF join forces in this first pilot and focus on the enhancement of quality services for EV drivers that are planning a trip. For example, by offering booking services to ensure access to the charging infrastructure whenever they go, wherever they are:
An electric vehicle user who wants to benefit from a guaranteed access to a certain charging point would be able to use the service of a third party “Booker” to book a guaranteed charging service on any charging network, at any time. Once connected to the application of such “Booker”, EV users can search for available charging points according to their criteria such as location, time and technical specifications for charging and would be able to book a charging slot by specifying the information required (vehicule type, authentication means, payment preferences, …) for accessing the charging pool after which the EV users get an estimation of the charge price (calculation based on the preferences entered). After charging, the user has access to his detailed invoice on the E-Mobility Service Providers application and will be charged for the final amount due. The management of various situations where a booking needs to be cancelled, by the EV user, the “Booker” or even the charging point operator has been enabled as well.
This pilot includes a dozen of charging networks, covering 2 countries, France and Belgium, with different ways of accessing these charging services, whether via a subscription to an e-mobility service provider or via an ad hoc card payment. The booking services itself are being demonstrated via a test infrastructure involving virtual charging points.
Alongside this first achievement, the electromobility use case family members are now working on the addition of complementary pilots that could deal with day ahead requests for EV charge, flexibilities for the grid and EV charge granular certificates of origin.