A recent survey, carried out by SmartEn and DNV and co-sponsored by Eaton, analyzed the charging network and the potential of bidirectional charging systems.
smartEn – Smart Energy Europe and DNV have carried out a study comparing the regulatory framework of 11 European countries regarding bidirectional charging of electric vehicles (V2X, or Vehicle-to-Everything). The idea came from Eaton, a company specialized in intelligent energy management, which wanted to highlight the importance of small-scale mobile energy storage solutions that complement large public systems.
«According to data reported by the Energy Transition Readiness Index (ETRI 2023), co-sponsored by Eaton, the diffusion of electric vehicles in our country remains below 1%, representing approximately 4% of all new registrations» , said Alessio Nava, MD & Country Sales Leader Italy at Eaton.
Access to the network
Among the obstacles slowing the energy transition are technology enablers, such as grid access. «In some countries, for example, permits for renewables planning and grid development are increasingly difficult to obtain due to local opposition, while policies to improve electric vehicle charging and bi-directional operation remain fragmented and poorly developed », adds Nava.
Over 700 million euros from the PNRR have been allocated to strengthen the charging infrastructure network in Italy. The research shows that in Italy there are a total of 473 slow single-phase AC stations, 27,416 medium speed three-phase SC stations, 5,942 fast three-phase AC stations, 222 slow DC stations, 2,849 fast DC stations, 1,992 level 1 DC stations, ultra-fast DC stations and 261 stations Level 2 ultra-fast DC.
Furthermore, the country aims to have, by 2030, 3 million public and private charging points, of which 32,000 are fast and ultra-fast public, which will allow the charging of 6 million electric vehicles.
Small-scale mobile energy storage solutions
«The main evidence of the study is the importance, often overlooked, that small-scale mobile energy storage solutions can have in countering grid constraints. Building on a recent estimate that V2X deployments within the EU27 could generate financial benefits of €9.9 billion by 2030, the report confirms that unlocking V2X charging potential, enabling the availability of decentralized resources, can play a key role in the energy transition».
In Italy, double taxation for V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) has already been eliminated and relatively important pilot projects are currently underway. Furthermore, the analysis also highlights how Italy, together with Spain, Norway and Sweden, stands out for the level of diffusion of smart meters, with a usage rate of 98% already in 2022.
«Building owners should already pay attention to the electric vehicle chargers they will adopt, favoring devices that will also be able to feed electricity into the grid. Investing in V2X or V2X Ready chargers will in fact be fundamental for the development of future-ready charging infrastructures, promoting the development of a sustainable energy system».
(di Elio Boschiazzo)
