“Energy Storage Cloud” builds electric vehicle ecosystem

China Energy Storage Network: With the gradual implementation of the "double points" policy and the revision of the foreign investment industry guidance catalogue, major automobile manufacturers around the world have increased their market layout in China's new energy vehicle industry through various means and channels in 2018. It is estimated that the production and sales volume of new energy vehicles in China will increase by 45% in 2018, and the annual production and sales volume will reach about 1.05 million vehicles.

The development of electric vehicles has also brought about a huge demand for charging piles. The China Electric Vehicle Charging Technology Industry Alliance predicts that by 2020, my country will need 5 million charging piles to support the current linear development speed of electric vehicles. At the same time, battery management, scrapping issues, and the impact of massive electric vehicle charging on the power grid are all testing every participant in the electric vehicle industry, including power grid companies.

In order to create a healthy development mechanism for electric vehicles and power grids, the State Grid recently launched the "Energy Storage Cloud" under the smart car networking system. This platform based on the combination of big data and energy storage will profoundly affect the development trend of the new energy vehicle industry. What is the "Energy Storage Cloud"? Can it solve the standardization problems that have constrained the industry for many years, and the development model problems of "charging mode" and "battery replacement mode"? Recently, the reporter interviewed Peng Xiaofeng, deputy director of the Marketing Center of the State Grid Electric Vehicle Service Co., Ltd., and asked him to unveil the mystery of the State Grid "Energy Storage Cloud" for us.

Building an electric vehicle industry ecosystem

Reporter: Faced with a new round of explosive growth in electric vehicles in my country, does State Grid have a relevant mechanism to cope with the huge demand for charging piles?

Peng Xiaofeng: The China Electric Vehicle Charging Technology Industry Alliance predicts that by 2020, my country will need to have 5 million charging piles to support the current linear development speed of electric vehicles. The rapid development of electric vehicles has a huge impact on the power grid. However, electric vehicles are also very high-quality power sources. If electric vehicle batteries can supplement the weak links of the power grid, it will be a great boost to the power grid. The goal of the "energy storage cloud" created by the State Grid is to achieve a series of goals such as orderly charging and discharging of electric vehicles, cascade utilization of batteries, and electric vehicles assisting the power grid in peak load regulation. These measures are all to support the orderly development of the electric vehicle industry.

It is impossible to build an electric vehicle charging system by relying on the State Grid. Now, emerging charging operators such as Teladian and Xingxing Charging have made great contributions to the construction of the electric vehicle charging system. The State Grid is building a completely open ecosystem - "Energy Storage Cloud". An open environment attracts all charging pile operators, charging companies, and even power generators to join. It will be the largest electric vehicle network in the country.

Reporter: Can "energy storage cloud" also provide a new business model for the electric vehicle industry?

Peng Xiaofeng: "Energy Storage Cloud" is not just a charging system, it also solves the subsequent recycling problem of electric vehicle batteries and reduces the maintenance cost of electric vehicles.

The high cost of electric vehicle batteries is the main reason for the high price of electric vehicles. Generally, when the power battery reaches 80% of its usage, it is likely to be retired, but this part of the battery still has great value for the power grid, and it is a high-quality peak-shaving resource. The free transaction of battery power and the power grid is also a considerable benefit for users.

Reporter: What value will the massive amount of data accumulated by the "Energy Storage Cloud" bring to the industry?

Peng Xiaofeng: Through the "Energy Storage Cloud", the State Grid can assist electric vehicle companies in achieving full life cycle management of energy storage batteries. The "Energy Storage Cloud" collects data on the battery's operating status from the moment the electric vehicle leaves the factory, providing users with battery charging and discharging, and battery life data, which is very valuable for users to maintain electric vehicles and benefit from orderly charging and discharging responses.

At the same time, we also provide detailed data services to battery manufacturers, which not only ensures the utilization rate of electric vehicle batteries, but also facilitates battery recovery.

Support any existing business model

Reporter: How does State Grid achieve equal access for major operators and how does it solve the problem of standardization of charging piles?

Peng Xiaofeng: For any industry to develop, standards must come first. State Grid is even more sensitive to charging pile standardization. Only by standardizing charging piles can all companies have equal access to the "energy storage cloud" ecosystem without any barriers. Today, the charging pile standard system led by State Grid has risen to the national standard level and has become one of the four major charging pile standardization systems in the world.

At present, under the guidance of the China Electricity Council, the State Grid Electric Vehicle Company is taking the lead in developing standards for high-power charging piles and two-way charging piles. At the same time, standards for interconnection between the State Grid and major operators are also being developed and formulated.

It is expected that in 2018, the interconnection standards between the State Grid and operators will be introduced to the public.

Reporter: How many companies have already completed interconnection with the Internet of Vehicles?

Peng Xiaofeng: At present, there are about 21 charging operators that have achieved access to the "Internet of Vehicles", and the coverage rate of interconnected charging piles has reached more than 80%.

Reporter: The electric vehicle industry has a "charging mode" and a "battery replacement mode". Will the "energy storage cloud" have an impact on the existing business model?

Peng Xiaofeng: "Energy Storage Cloud" is open to any business model in the electric vehicle industry. "Energy Storage Cloud" can accommodate multiple access methods for charging piles, including two-way access, battery cascade utilization, and battery backup utilization at battery swap stations. Energy Storage Cloud has no impact on the current two models.

At present, the "battery swap mode" promoted by the State Grid in various provincial grid companies separates the battery from the car, allowing the battery to be charged centrally. For the grid company, the battery swap station is actually a centralized energy storage station, and the "energy storage cloud" enables two-way interaction between the distribution network and the battery swap station. For the "charging mode", the State Grid uses two-way charging pile technology to achieve two-way interaction between electric vehicles and the grid.

The long-term goal of the State Grid is to enable electric vehicles to freely access the grid in various modes, and even to charge and discharge freely at appropriate locations according to the grid's deployment. This is a very important scenario in the development of the energy Internet.

Reporter: What impact will “energy storage cloud” have on clean energy consumption?

Peng Xiaofeng: In the future, we will focus on charging electric vehicles with green electricity. At present, the volatility of wind power and photovoltaic power has a great impact on the power grid. Wind power and photovoltaic clean energy are first stored and connected to the "energy storage cloud", and then released according to the electric vehicle users and the operation of the power grid, realizing the complete market-oriented transaction of clean energy. In this way, the "energy storage cloud" can gradually change the market structure of clean energy.

In the future, we will build an energy blockchain, and even use green certificates to enable electric vehicles to consume green electricity, thereby achieving comprehensive green development of the electric vehicle industry.