Green Mobility: SMATCH successfully tested for participation in Dutch energy market

Supporting the network with smart charging

In 2021, SMATCH was selected as the smart charging platform of choice for the network of 10,000 public charging points to be deployed in Rotterdam and the surrounding region. This was the first time in a public tender that the DSO required the municipality to include smart charging as a way of avoiding local congestion in the power grid. A decisive factor in the selection was that the municipality already recognized SMATCH as a trusted partner following previous pilot schemes in the city.

Passive load balancing successfully deployed

Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and that proof was delivered in 2022. In February and March, a pilot setup was tested at Laborelec’s Linkebeek site consisting of eight connectors equipped with SMATCH and configured for passive load balancing. Tests were carried out using the signaling protocols from the Dutch transmission system operator TenneT. Throughout the test, the system responded in accordance with the criteria set by TenneT. After this success, a much larger test was carried out in the field involving 66 connectors in the Rotterdam network. The test ran from April to December and proved equally successful. In addition, the return value for ENGIE was clearly demonstrated.

Large-scale EV flexibility coming true

Meanwhile, 1,900 of the 10,000 charging points are currently smart charged and the project continues according to plan. SMATCH product owner Louis Sokal is enthusiastic: “We take great pride in participating in this project of unprecedented size and complexity. SMATCH makes large-scale EV flexibility a reality.”