FAIT DU SOIR Smart charging of electric cars tested in Villeneuve

It’s already tomorrow in Villeneuve: a new smart charger for electric cars was presented this Tuesday morning at the Municipal Technical Center of the cardinal city, a pioneering city in this field, as part of the Flexitanie regional program.

Already, as of May 2021, Villeneuve has equipped the Municipal Technical Center with V2G technology, an innovative technology that allows the electric vehicles of the municipal fleet to be charged when the demand on the grid is lower and the remaining energy to be injected from the batteries. . each eligible vehicle becomes a storage unit before being charged on the grid during peak demand. The Occitanie region is the leading region in France in terms of installed V2G terminals with a target of 50 terminals in the Flexitanie program managed by the Region, EDF and Ademe. But this technology, unfortunately, remains limited: only the utility model of the Nissan brand can be used. Villeneuve city hall has acquired eight of them and has just collected its first receipts for energy fed into the grid by its vehicles, according to mayor Pascal Bories.

So, this time, it’s about installing V1G terminals, simply put, V2G without injecting electricity into the grid. A simpler, but just as controllable, technology is now included in the Flexitanie program, with a significant advantage: this time, all models of electric vehicles are compatible. Enough to allow more flexibility of the network, avoid recharges during peak consumption. Because, in a scenario revealed in a study by Ademe and EDF, “By 2035, we imagine that half of the vehicles in Occitania will be electric, i.e. 1.5 million cars, which represents the consumption of about 1.5 million people.Sylvain Vidal, regional operations director for Occitanie at EDF, explains. Flexibility will be crucial. »

It is clear: at the current terminals, if everyone connects to their car on the way home in the evening, the network will not catch up. So the idea is to do this charging smartly by scheduling it during peak hours. For example, if your company benefits from these terminals, you can charge your car during the day, when the network is not too busy, but not only. It is also in these low consumption niches that photovoltaic energy produces the most. Currently, a good part of this green electricity production is “cut”, as the term is used by EDF. In two words: he lost. And we’re talking about several tens of kilowatt hours at a time.

Goal: 100 terminals

There is much to the utility of V1G, allowing it to be connected to local photovoltaic panels or even directly to the relevant field. Short circuit, in short. What about “bringing renewable energies as close to production as possible”, welcomes Sylvain Vidal. After that happens “I totally agree” V2G, as Pascale Bories said, Villeneuve will still go in V1G under and with the help of the Flexitanie program. Part of a broader approach, the program was launched as the first positive energy region in France during Carole Delga’s first term as head of the Region.

An eco-friendly app, it’s also economical: V1G potentially saves 20% with every charge. This is not insignificant in the current climate of exploding energy prices. “But when we get things right, when we are part of a positive approach, we can mark the energy transition in the area and restore autonomy and income through renewable energy generation.”Agnes Langevin, the vice-president of the region insists. Thus, V1G and V2G represent for Jean-Luc Gibelin, the vice president of transportation for the region. “Tomorrow’s solution, especially for the most used commercial vehicles. »

Villeneuve city hall has acquired two V1G terminals to be installed behind the town hall, after already being equipped with terminals and V2G vehicles. “NowSamuel Puygrenier, Hydrogen and Low Carbon Mobility Project Manager at Ademe Occitanie, such solutions should be implemented. » The goal of the Flexitanie program is to reach 100 V1G terminals in the coming years.

Thierry Allard