Groupe Renault, RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Electricité) and Jedlix (European Vehicle-Grid-Integration platform) have signed a partnership agreement to test the ability of electric vehicles to contribute to balancing electric production and demand by controlling their charging process. This experiment is part of the expected evolutions of the secondary reserve market, which will open up to European competition by 2021.
The massive integration of intermittent renewable energy and the closure of traditional thermal power plants, as provided for in the Multi-annual Energy Program, are driving RTE to look for innovative flexibility solutions and to work with new players to guarantee the balancing of the power system at the lowest cost. More than 350,000 customers have chosen a Renault electric vehicle, as the leader in electric mobility in Europe, the Group is taking part in this experiment.
Today, secondary reserve is mainly based on thermal or hydropower plants. RTE, Jedlix and Groupe Renault propose to experiment with a new alternative: controlling the charging of electric vehicles which, following a signal sent by RTE, will inject or draw electricity to help RTE ensure the balance between production and consumption. This is one of the services electromobility will be able to provide to the electrical system of tomorrow1. The objective of this experiment is to evaluate not only the technical feasibility of this new type of service based on embedded connectivity of the vehicle, but also its value for the power grid and ultimately for the electric vehicle owner.
EVs are a great opportunity for the power system and the transition to a low carbon economy. To seize it in the best way, we need to test today the interaction modes between the vehicle and the system. says Thomas Veyrenc, Executive Director of Strategy and Foresight at RTE.
Driving an electric vehicle is more than a pleasure and a rational economic choice. It is also the opportunity to become a natural player in the electrical system at home, and to be paid for this service to the network! We are happy to contribute to the opening up of the Secondary Reserve market with rules appropriate for this new distributed resource in France and Europe, alongside RTE and Renault. adds Serge Subiron, CEO of Jedlix.
We are very pleased to collaborate with RTE and Jedlix. This is an important step in the integration of the electric vehicle as an essential link in the energy network. In the long term, our customers who own electric vehicles will benefit from a more economical and greener electricity consumption and will therefore be remunerated for the service they provide to the electricity grid. declares Yasmine Assef, New Energy Business Program Director of Groupe Renault.
1RTE & AVERE report dated May 2019: «The challenges of developing electromobility for the electrical system»
Images courtesy of Groupe Renault