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BPL Global Begins Alsace Auto 2.0 Project with Partners [Travel & Leisure Close - Up]
(Travel & Leisure Close - Up Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) BPL Global, a smart grid technology company, announced that it has joined forces with Freshmile, The Hager Group, FAM Automobiles and the University of Technology in Belfort-Montbeliard on the "Alsace Auto 2.0" project.
According to a release, the project will provide electric cars to end-users on a subscription basis, an electric mobility service. The service is designed to optimize the impact of electric vehicle charging on the electrical grid by aggregating the load and storage capacities of the batteries and managing their charging patterns.
The Alsace Auto 2.0 project will demonstrate the benefits of electric mobility applied to rural commuting in the Alsace region of France. The project will roll out the electric mobility service for 50 electric vehicles. Connection points will be installed at home and at work for each commuter subscribing to the service. The cost of vehicle operation will be reduced by monetizing the load and storage capacities of the batteries, lowering the monthly subscription fee for each electric vehicle. The project also aims to validate the technical and economic approach behind the electric mobility service, validating the business model.
"Freshmile and BPL Global share the same vision for the value of mass market adoption of electrical vehicles without compromising the electricity distribution grid," said Pete Londa, CEO of BPLG. "Innovation in electric vehicles and advances in distribution automation technology as well as Freshmile's pioneering service offering should accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles."
BPL Global's Connected Energy smart grid solution suite for distribution automation will be used to manage the electric vehicle fleet as distributed load and storage resources on the electrical network. A distributed virtual power plant is created by managing both supply (vehicle-to-grid) and demand (grid-to-vehicle). Software allows the electric vehicle load and storage capacities to be managed as ancillary services, peak shaving and valley filling for the local electric utility. Effective management of electric vehicle charging reduces the energy cost and minimizes potential disruptions to the electric grid.
"Testing consumer acceptance for mobility as a service is one of the important objectives of this project," said Arnaud Mora, CEO of Freshmile. "We think that the trailblazing of grid-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-grid capabilities are crucial to providing cost effective services and demonstrating the distributed virtual power plant approach. Success of the electric vehicle for the mass market is only possible by ensuring smooth integration into the electrical grid and by removing acceptance barriers for users."
Freshmile operates the electric vehicle fleet and manages the battery charging cycles with BPL Global's Connected Energy software solution, adapting to the needs of the energy market. Intelligent charging stations are from The Hager Group. The electric cars are provided by FAM Automobiles. The Transport & Systems Lab at the University of Technology in Belfort-Montbeliard brings it skills in automation and mobile data management and distributed computing. All components of the project are designed with an open architecture to facilitate integration into a collaborative system, achieving a distributed virtual power plant.
BPL Global provides electric utilities with a suite of smart grid solutions for distribution automation from substations through customer premises.
Freshmile is an electric mobility operator and load aggregator.
FAM Automobiles is involved at all stages, from the design to the distribution of parts / cars and assembling.
The Hager Group is an independent, owner-led family enterprise and a leading provider of systems, solutions, and services for electro technical installations. The range of services extends from energy distribution to wiring and to intelligent building controls and security technology. The area of application extends to private residences, commercial real estate, and industrial facilities.
The Hager Group employs a total of 11,200 people, has distribution branches in over 55 countries, and manufactures at 20 sites around the world. The group had total sales of 1.42 billion Euros in 2010.
((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))
(c) 2012 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved.
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