Avere e-mobility Conference 2023
Dynamic pricing solutions and managed charging: TotalEnergies at the Avere e-Mobility Conference
Avere’s conference took place in Utrecht on 26 and 27 September, and brought together many of Europe’s players in electric mobility.
The TotalEnergies teams attended the 2023 edition of the event in an opportunity to network with emerging names in the industry, consolidate ties with existing players and a number of partners, and platform their vision for the sector.
Dynamic pricing
Stefan Evers, TotalEnergies Charging Solutions Nederland’s Director, took to the stage at the opening session to share his thoughts on dynamic pricing and its application in the context of electric mobility. Dynamic pricing allows the cost of charging to be adjusted and displayed in line with different factors such as time of day, renewable electricity availability, and the price of electricity.
Individuals who charge their vehicle at home currently have access to offers in which the price of electricity varies, particularly in terms of time of day, with electricity costing less at night. This approach is less common in the public sector, yet dynamic pricing would ensure the price of electricity is reflected in the overall price of a charging session, and encourage users to charge at ‘off-peak’ times. Drawing on this solution minimises network overload and ensures users are able to charge at the most favourable times.
“More and more clients and users are requesting this type of pricing structure. As an operator, we need to hear them and continue working together to set fair, transparent prices for users while reflecting on the solutions to implement.” Stefan Evers, Directeur of TotalEnergies Charging Solutions Nederland.
Energy management
Louis de Lépinau, Head of Innovation at TotalEnergies Charging Services, took to the conference’s stage, too.
During the Resilient Energy Infrastructures: The Challenges round-table discussion, Louis outlined the strides TotalEnergies is making in energy management. As more and more electric vehicles appear on our streets, the challenge ahead is sizable. Over the coming years, providing charging for the increasing number of electric vehicles on the market will have a major impact on:
- Power delivery for distributors (some countries such as the Netherlands have already hit maximum capacity);
- Network balance: intermittent renewable energies will require consumers that can be ‘steered’;
- Regulations such as Fit55 and decarbonising transport initiatives: with the ultimate end-goal being to provide low-carbon electric energy.
TotalEnergies is developing solutions to tackle these challenges by tapping into the flexibility that characterises charging on the Company’s infrastructure (cars that stay parked in spots overnight, for example). Spreading or staggering power delivered by a terminal allows the operator to:
- Maintain balance across the electricity grid,
- Offer lower-carbon energy,
- Offer lower prices to users who charge their electric vehicle at off-peak times that cost less.
This innovative approach is already widespread in private charging, but has yet to break through in the public sector. Indeed, the chargers set up in TotalEnergies clients’ homes are already equipped with a solution that adapts to voltage levels on the electricity grid in real time as well as the client’s subscription, ensuring their charging session is scheduled for the best time for them.
TotalEnergies is working to strike the ideal balance between user needs, network limitations and energy prices by bringing energy management to the public sector, while reducing carbon footprint (negating the need for gas plant start-up, for example) and championing a clear conviction: that the future of charging lies in innovation.
