Flexibility of vehicle charging infrastructure is key to a cost-optimal EU energy system
image:
‘Charging infrastructure targets and V2G mandates shouldn't be set in isolation: coordinated planning with the energy system is what determines whether that infrastructure unlocks real benefits or simply raises charging costs for consumers. That's an important message for policymakers and the EU's AFIR,’ says Francecso Sanvito (TU Delft, The Netherlands).
view moreCredit: TU Delft
Researchers from Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands) have made a European energy system model, making two technologies to compete with each other: future unidirectional smart charging (V1G) and Vehicle-to-Grid charging (V2G) to determine which mode is most economically advantageous in EU countries in a 2050 energy system. For the first time, the model treats the diffusion of V1G and V2G infrastructure as a decision to be optimized, explicitly accounting for its costs. ‘The model shows that a uniform benchmark for the EU is not preferable. The cost-optimal level of charging infrastructure varies by country, since it depends on each national energy system’, says lead researcher Francesco Sanvito. The results are published today in Nature Energy.
These outcomes could not be timelier now that the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the renewal of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), which is currently based on a uniform charging target across EU member states.
Unlocking benefits by customisation
As Europe shifts to electric vehicles, uncontrolled charging risks straining the power system. Smart charging V1G and V2G offer a way to turn this into an opportunity, but V2G's added cost raises the question of when it's worth it over V1G. Both technologies increase system flexibility while raising infrastructure costs. This trade-off varies by country, something the EU's uniform AFIR charging target overlooks. Targets should be customized to unlock these benefits across all geographies, according to Sanvito.
Climate and energy systems are key
In the Dutch context, for example, V2G technology may be particularly profitable today, since grid bottlenecks and the limited flexibility of current electricity loads drive high price swings, sometimes reaching negative values. Cars that can feed electricity back into the system could help balance the grid temporarily until grid reinforcements are in place. V2G, however, requires greater investments than V1G charging. V1G is a no-regret option that drives down overall system costs. Higher deployment of both technologies unlocks greater system flexibility but increases infrastructure expenditure, reflected in higher charging costs for consumers.
At the same time, that same deployment unlocks energy system savings that ultimately benefit electricity prices. The trade-off is shaped by interactions with the national energy system. In Norway, where the energy system mostly relies on hydro-energy, a type of energy source that is more constant and that can be more easily scheduled compared to wind and solar, V1G technology will suffice.
‘Charging infrastructure targets and V2G mandates shouldn't be set in isolation: coordinated planning with the energy system is what determines whether that infrastructure unlocks real benefits or simply raises charging costs for consumers. That's an important message for policymakers and the EU's AFIR,’ Sanvito concludes.
Journal
Nature Energy
Method of Research
Computational simulation/modeling
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Coordinated planning of European charging infrastructure and energy system for optimal V1G and V2G deployment
Article Publication Date
14-Jul-2026
No comments:
Post a Comment