The role of technology in enabling smart charging functionality and the roll-out of EVs across Europe has been demonstrated in a pioneering EU study involving Trakm8. 

The Smart Islands Energy Systems (SMILE) project saw the development of nine smart grid solutions with the help of Trakm8’s smart charging algorithms for EVs

Carried out on a trio of European island communities, the Smart Islands Energy Systems (SMILE) project saw the development of nine smart grid solutions with the help of Trakm8’s smart charging algorithms for EVs. 

Smart grids are energy networks that automatically monitor energy flows and adjust to changes in energy supply and demand accordingly.  

When coupled with smart metering systems, smart grids provide suppliers and consumers funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 project with in-depth insight into their real time energy consumption – they’re regarded as essential for the modernisation of Europe’s energy systems and important in helping the continent meet its carbon-reduction targets.   

Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 project, the pilot schemes for the SMILE project were run in Madeira (Portugal), Samsø (Denmark) and the Orkney Islands (Scotland) based on private-use vehicles, a fleet of electric tourist tuk-tuks and Samsø tourist leisure boats respectively. 

The trials revealed that Trakm8’s algorithms consistently and accurately forecast charging demand for electric vehicles, alongside enabling charging priority based on the state of a vehicle’s battery charge and an optimised charging schedule. 

Sarah Bee, who led Trakm8’s involvement in the project, said: “The results of Trakm8’s trials, on Orkney, Madeira and Samsø, demonstrate the role our technology could play in enabling smart charging functionality and the roll-out of electric vehicles across Europe. 

“Involvement in the project has also enabled Trakm8 to further develop its smart charging capabilities for electric fleets; a key step forward given the growth of fleet vehicles operating in and around Ultra-Low Emission Zones in force in major urban areas including London, Birmingham and Manchester. 

“Funding from the EU’s Horizon Europe programme was absolutely invaluable in bringing such a large-scale trial to fruition, and demonstrates how important such initiatives are in helping the continent transition to a carbon neutral future.” 

The Orkney project also involved work by Community Energy Scotland, an energy-based charity, which collaborated with Trakm8 to further support the roll-out of electric vehicles on the island, and demonstrate the real-world potential of integrating both EVs and smart chargers to a local power grid. 

Peter Long, project manager at Community Energy Scotland, said: “Many challenges were overcome and many replicable lessons were learnt. The data-rich solution delivered by Trakm8 provided valuable real-world instantaneous information on the operation of the equipment, as well as the interaction between the homeowner, EV, smart charger and the power grid. 

“CES are already seeing the realised potential and learnings from the demonstration of Trakm8’s solution within the SMILE project being replicated in other projects to see EV rollout accelerate in an educated and just fashion.” 

For more information on the SMILE project, please click here.