CODA Energy, with Energy Vault and Growing Energy Labs (GELI), will deploy the first Eco-Station, a solar integrated electric vehicle (EV) fast charging station optimized by energy storage, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The charging station will incorporate a 175 kW solar array, DC fast charging, a 40kWh CODA Core UDP energy storage system and GELI’s intelligent Energy Operating System (EOS) software.
DC charging, which refuels a typical EV battery in 30 to 60 minutes, improves the usability of EVs by extending their effective range and enabling road trips. These stations require high quantities of power to operate, and as a result, incur costly utility peak demand charges that can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. The Eco-Station contains a battery energy storage system (ESS) supplied by CODA Energy that mitigates this problem by serving as a buffer between the charger and the grid, lowering the charging station’s peak power demand. The addition of GELI’s intelligent Energy Operating System (EOS) software will enable the Eco-Station to make operational decisions based on the price of power and energy, which in conjunction with demand response programs, could bring site operators new sources of revenue.
“As is the case in California, electric vehicle adoption tends to correlate with renewable energy deployment,” said Ed Solar, COO, CODA Energy. “Energy sorage complements these technologies by reducing operational costs, improving functionality, enabling new revenue streams and mitigating grid stress.”
During peak consumption periods, costly utility demand charges are minimized. At night, stored solar power can be used to charge vehicles and inexpensive, off-peak energy can be used to recharge the battery. When the Eco-Station is unoccupied during the day, it can sell excess generated or stored power back to the grid and generate revenue.
Fast charging stations with integrated solar panels typically rely on grid power, even when the sun is shining, as the power needs of the vehicles and chargers often exceed the output of the solar array. A single CODA energy storage tower can discharge up to 100 kW of power, far exceeding the capacity of common DC chargers. This allows drivers to refuel with 100 percent zero emissions electricity generated on-site. As charging systems are developed with even faster charging rates, energy storage will limit the need for expensive grid connection upgrades.
The CODA ESS enables the Eco-Station to participate in utility demand response programs and provide valuable grid services, creating additional revenue streams for the station operator. Multiple Eco-Stations connected by sophisticated network control software could become a valuable dispatchable load source during peak demand periods.
