Enefit was the first in Europe to conduct a comprehensive test with electric vehicle chargers for reactive power balancing
As part of the Europe-wide Horizon 2020 funding project INCIT-EV, Enefit installed two reactive power-compensating fast chargers for testing at Peterburi road and Jüri Circle K service station in Harju County. The goal of the project was to determine whether reactive power could be used to maintain electrical grid stability from a future perspective.
The fast chargers, which were added to the Enefit Volt public charging network, are part of an international research project testing innovative charging technologies under public conditions with 32 partners across eight different countries, including Estonia. Estonia received funding of nearly €250,000.
The installed chargers differ from regular chargers in their ability to compensate for reactive power. This solution is particularly beneficial for grid operators, as it reduces the need for additional future investments in strengthening the grid.
‘The ability to compensate for reactive power means fewer losses in power lines and a longer lifespan for electrical equipment. The chargers are connected to the grid operator’s management platform, which provides us with real-time information about the electrical grid’s performance and parameters. This helps us avoid overloading the grid during peak consumption times, and the charger can also function as a reactive compensator, helping prevent voltage fluctuations outside the allowable range,’ explained Kert Pääbo, Head of Enefit Volt.
Mihkel Härm, the Chairman of the Management Board at Elektrilevi, stated that Elektrilevi’s goal is to provide customers with a modern, high-quality, and affordable grid service. ‘To achieve this goal, we are constantly looking for solutions to optimise grid investments. The reactive power compensating charger that Enefit is testing is one such solution,’ he added.
Both chargers are connected to a virtual power plant (VPP), and for the first time, a simulation was conducted to provide a regulation service to the transmission grid operator, Elering, through the temporary limiting of charging speed at a public charging station. In the future, this solution will allow even more affordable electric vehicle charging. Additionally, the charging stations have vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability, enabling energy to be directed from the car battery back to the grid. Although most cars today do not yet support V2G technology through the CCS plug, Pääbo noted that this is an important step toward the future, preparing infrastructure for broader V2G adoption and helping create a more efficient and balanced electrical grid.
‘Enefit is interested in a long-term perspective. Our goal is to integrate electric cars as mobile storage devices into the electrical system and reduce the load on the grid. During the project, we gained valuable experience in both smart and bidirectional charging, as well as wireless charging, which is currently under testing in France. In the future, we will be able to apply all this knowledge to the development of the Estonian charging network,’ Pääbo concluded.
Enefit Volt is Estonia’s largest electric car charging network and is 100% based on green electricity. We are looking for location partners to invest in charging solutions on their commercial properties and together provide the best charging options for customers. For more information, visit our website, email us at [email protected] or call 777 3030.