Project Flow begins researching solutions for integrated charging systems in Europe

The EU-funded Flow project has just kicked off in Barcelona. Among other things, the initiative aims to test, validate and improve vehicle-to-X for exchanging energy between vehicles, buildings and the grid to inform wider European application.

The project aims to promote a suitable electric mobility concept for end users and generally bring benefits to the energy system across Europe. Five demonstration sites are to be set up in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Denmark and Spain. The Flow project consortium includes 24 external partners and six European universities and is led by the Catalan Institute for Energy Research (IREC).

For the Flow project, the European Association for Electric Mobility, AVERE, is taking on the role of informing all relevant stakeholders about the projects. AVERE will also provide policy recommendations on how policies can be adapted to align with the project results.

Flow is scheduled to run for four years, until March 2026, and is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. The total budget is almost 10 million euros. Participants from Germany include BMW, RWTH Aachen University and TU Chemnitz.

Cristina Corchero, coordinator of the consortium, said: “The FLOW project represents a unique opportunity to better understand the potential of energy flexibility when we achieve a massive penetration of electric vehicles”. She explained: “This will be possible thanks to the joined forces from key players from both the electrical and the mobility sectors”.

Stefan Costea, Regional Technology Manager at one of the project partners, Eaton Research Labs, explained: “As a key partner in the FLOW project, we are very excited to develop optimal solutions for electric vehicle charging, V2G and V2X, and energy management.” For example, his organisation will demonstrate these technologies in three test labs – at the Eaton European Innovation Center in Prague, at University College Dublin and at the Fundació Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya in Barcelona. Large-scale technology demonstrations in Rome and Copenhagen will then be supported the organisation’s energy management systems.

In addition to vehicle-to-X, the research and innovation activities focus on vehicle-to-grid functions (V2G), DC-DC charging (direct current to direct current) and work in the area of the proprietary energy management system “Buildings as a Grid”.

enel.com, businesswire.com (in German)