UK Power Networks (UKPN), the Distribution System Operator (DSO), has selected Electric Miles to help deploy its Smart Grid, which increases the resilience of the network.
UKPN has placed energy capacity contracts valued at £ 30 million in 17 innovators in the energy, technology and automotive sectors, including Electric Miles. This makes UKPN the largest flexibility tender in Great Britain.
As part of a seven-year contract, Electric Miles, with its innovative charging software for electric vehicles (EV), offers up to 20 MW of flexibility in grid balancing in London and the South East.
Electric Miles has previous flexibility agreements with UKPN and another with Western Power Distribution and Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) to provide flexibility in the Midlands and Wales.
Arun Anand, Founder and CEO of Electric Miles, said: “Many thanks to UK Power Networks for trusting a young start-up like Electric Miles, which has given us a continuation of the original contract with the possibility of serving customers in severely restricted areas to use. As part of the Intraflex project, we have already started a pilot test for our first contract in cooperation with Offgrid Energy. “
“With our Electric Miles app, customers can optimize the charging requirements of their electric vehicle using the UKPN flexibility contracts. It is important to have our ears close to the ground to learn from these early experiences in order to deliver a great product that can eliminate the friction between EV drivers and the grid and democratize the energy market. This project helps to prove the capabilities of our platform in the real world. “
The company’s mission is to help transition to the grid of the future. The app-based software enables users to charge their cars or house batteries at the most favorable time and to take the demand off the grid at peak times. App users can reduce charging costs or share the benefits of charging at the right time, while reducing the environmental impact of charging electric vehicles.
As part of the trial, Electric Miles is recruiting drivers in specific areas to join this new and exciting journey. Anand says: “We are building a seamless integration into the energy ecosystem. Drivers or fleets of electric vehicles can register on our intelligent platform, which assigns the drivers to our contract and we will share the benefits. “
What is smart about the Electric Miles Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution is that it can prioritize charging as more renewable energies come into the grid to help companies make their own carbon savings to achieve. However, the app also ensures that vehicles are properly charged when needed.
Software solutions such as those provided by Electric Miles are seen as a key requirement for the EV revolution. Network operators are facing a nightmare as more electric cars and vans hit the streets. It is projected that there will be 4.5 million electric vehicles in London, the South East and East of England by 2030. If all of these vehicles were charged at the same time, the grid would not be able to handle severe blackouts.
Anand explains, “We are working with utilities to develop EV tariffs that, when combined with our SMART app, can help automate the charging experience by shifting network demand from peak to low times. Using the intelligence of the EM platform, network operators can avoid costly upgrades to the network, especially in congested areas such as cities. It’s cheaper to pay for the flexibility we can offer than to strengthen the network. “
Stuart Lloyd-Evans of Electric Miles said: “We are delighted that our SaaS solution has been recognized as a valuable asset as the UK moves towards a Net Zero future by 2050. Not only can we help DSOs lower their reinforcement costs through our network balancing services, but we also offer our users opportunities to save money and share the benefits. “
Sul Alli, Director of Strategy and Customer Service for UK Power Networks, said: “The UK is a world leader in harnessing the power of all those EV batteries that are about to be connected and harnessing it for the common good. This market didn’t exist three years ago and now it offers as much capacity as a gas-fired power plant. We partner with some of the most exciting startups and prove it in the real world. There is still a long way to go and not a silver bullet, but the way we use technology and data will be a big part of the answer to the challenge of reaching Net Zero. “
Electric Miles is looking for EV drivers to join them. You can register your interest in participating here.
This is a promoted item.
