Webinar Recap: Powering the EV-centric future: Renewable, Reliable and Flexible
Irma Stegmann is a product manager at Equans, where she leads a team focused on energy management within the e-mobility sector. Equans operates nearly 15,000 public charging stations across the Netherlands, making them the market leader in the industry. Irma’s team handles three main areas: capital investments in charging infrastructure, sourcing electricity, and implementing smart charging solutions.
A Journey from Industrial Design to Energy Management
Irma's journey into the energy sector began ten years ago when she was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in industrial design. While working on a university project, she realized the critical importance of integrating renewables into the grid. This realization led her to pursue a master’s degree in sustainable energy technology, focusing on integration of renewables. Her career naturally progressed into working with batteries and electric vehicles, ultimately leading to her current role at Equans.
The Challenges of Integrating Renewable Energy
The energy landscape has changed dramatically over the past few years. Previously, energy sourcing was straightforward with fixed-price contracts, but the current market demands a more dynamic approach. Irma explained that Equans now has to be more flexible and adaptive, constantly optimizing their energy contracting to ensure affordability for end users. This shift requires innovative solutions, such as smart charging and dynamic pricing models.
Dynamic Pricing and Smart Charging
Dynamic pricing is one of the key strategies Equans is exploring to manage energy costs and encourage users to charge during off-peak times when renewable energy is abundant. Municipalities play a crucial role in this transition, setting the framework within which Equans operates. While some municipalities allow quarterly price adjustments, others are more flexible. The challenge lies in balancing predictable prices for users with the need to optimize grid demand and integrate more renewables.
The Future of E-Mobility: Vehicle-to-Grid Technology?
One of the most exciting innovations on the horizon is vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. This technology allows electric vehicles to feed power back into the grid, offering significant potential for grid stability and renewable integration. Although still in its early stages, V2G-ready infrastructure and vehicles are becoming more common, and Equans is well-positioned to leverage this technology as it develops.
Power Purchase Agreements and Renewable Integration
Looking ahead, Irma is excited about the potential for integrating renewable energy sources directly into Equans’s charging infrastructure through power purchase agreements with solar and wind parks. This approach would align the development of new charging networks with renewable energy projects, enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of their operations.
Conclusion
Irma Stegmann's insights highlight the exciting developments and challenges in the e-mobility and renewable energy sectors. As Equans continues to innovate and adapt to the evolving energy landscape, their efforts in dynamic pricing, smart charging, and renewable integration will play a crucial role in the energy transition. We look forward to seeing how these initiatives contribute to a more sustainable future.