The Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), the public administration of the metropolitan territory of Barcelona, has joined many of its major metropolitan counterparts in introducing efforts to transform the existing energy model and reduce pollution. Multiple programs have been launched including education on the benefits of renewable energy and electric vehicles. The local area energy team has invested in the first solar carports to power electric vehicle (EV) charging, and has gone a step further by connecting vehicle-to-grid (V2G) chargers to the solar panels that enable energy flow back from the car batteries into the buildings they are plugged into. This feat was made possible thanks to Nuvve’s V2G software platform called GIVe™.
The benefits of a battery providing storage of energy is well understood and documented, but Nuvve’s technology introduces a more efficient way to do this by using existing batteries from EVs versus purchasing expensive, external battery packs. Further, Nuvve’s software allows to vary the rate of charge and discharge between the vehicle battery and the building.
“We are looking forward to helping the wider area of Barcelona achieve a greener future by combining renewable energy sources with vehicle- to- grid technology,” says Gregory Poilasne, CEO and Chairman of Nuvve. “We have been testing these services such as in other areas like California, and we’re looking forward to deploying here in Catalonia.”
“We are happy to be working with Nuvve because of their long history of successful deployments of V2G projects around the world,” comments Gil Lladó, from Barcelona Metropolitan Area. “We want Barcelona to set an example for other large cities to invest in new technologies that help make our city healthier and greener for our residents.”
The first V2G charger from Nuvve was recently installed at Molins de Rei, just on the outskirts of Barcelona. The solar carport has one 10kW charger equipped with Nuvve’s V2G software that allows the energy from the solar panels to be stored inside the car’s battery and then be used by the building when the electricity is most expensive (typically at the end of the afternoon and early evening). The building at Molins de Rei is a sports hall where local teams play all types of indoor sports including rock climbing. It requires lighting in the evening.
“Significant savings can be achieved for building energy consumption by using the EV batteries and solar panels wisely. We can also generate additional revenues for the operator once Spanish electricity markets become open markets for distributed resources,” adds Marc Trahand, EVP of Marketing at Nuvve.
Nuvve has been deploying V2G in multiple countries to date, providing various services to energy markets and providing savings for users. The GIVe™ platform contributes to making EVs more affordable as the savings or gains from the market are shared with the owners of the vehicles. Moreover, V2G allows a better integration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar into the electric grid, further reducing CO2 emissions and particle pollution from fossil-fuelled power plants.
As more and more cities look for innovative and cost-effective ways to reduce harmful pollution, V2G will increase in its importance and efficacy to help solve the global environmental crises faced today. Nuvve looks forward to being part of the solution leading to a greener planet.
