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UK Charging Points Vendor Incorporates Power Line Communication In Stations
17 September 2008
UK-based Elektromotive Ltd., the makers of the Elektrobay road-side charging points for plug-in vehicles, is integrating the latest Power Line Communication (PLC) technology (developed by EDF), into its road-side charging stations.
This PLC integration allows the Elektrobay to ‘talk’ with a recharging vehicle by sending and receiving digital signals via the power cable without the need for additional wires. The resulting ‘conversation’ can exchange data and discuss billing, power requirement identification, transaction security and safety.
The addition of this EDF-PLC technology to the Elektrobay’s abilities, so that the car and the charging station are effectively ‘talking’ to each other, is in preparation for the future requirements of the vehicle manufacturers, energy companies, electric vehicle owners, and safety legislators.
—Greg Simmons, Technical Director of Elektromotive Limited
The Toyota plug-in hybrid that will in trials in the UK will use the Elektrobay network for recharging. (Earlier post.)
Currently there are 68 Elektrobay stations in the UK.
September 17, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Comments
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | September 17, 2008 at 09:02 PM
I'm thinking of the driver that loses their access key, and has to leave the power cord behind dangling from the locked pillar box. I wonder if the access key may get a flat battery ? Driving off with the lead connected?
These seem minor issues but will need to be survivable without great inconvenience.
Posted by: arnold | September 18, 2008 at 02:18 AM
As in the past discussions, smart grid comms need be implemented with caution. Billing data via power cable or wireless Bluetooth or WiFi-type link matters little. Clearly public charge points will need to query vehicle data for billing, charge type and quantity. What should be avoided is giving charge points unneeded influence to control these functions.
In the southwest a typical new energy "station" might incorporate rooftop PV and wind turbines to supplement grid-fed electric. It may include a PV driven electrolyzer on the order of MIT's Nocera water splitter. The old grid will be increasingly de-commissioned as any old technology must. New grids will be challenged to augment independent energy resources networked in local areas. In these systems the vehicle/driver will set the business/purchase parameters.
A smart car (e.g. Volt nav) will query real time pricing and location of charge points and then recommend routing to that point. Energy suppliers will need to compete as with any other open system of commerce. The purchase decision smarts are left to the driver.
While it interesting to see data over power line technology - it is little to shout about. What is worth shouting is the complete revamp of the "grid" concept. Independent energy resources are coming fast and furiously. And like electrified transport, it's gonna be a game changer.
Posted by: Sulleny | September 18, 2008 at 09:38 AM
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One more step on the road to the Smart Grid and V2G!