ALigN

 

Expansion of charging infrastructure through targeted grid support

Schematic of the low-voltage grid with several chraging points for electric vehicles Copyright: © E.On ERC PGS Concept for coupling two substations using a solid-state transformer

Over the next two years, 950 new charging points for electric vehicles will be constructed in the Aachen city area as part of the " Ausbau von Ladeinfrastruktur durch gezielte Netzunterstützung " (ALigN) project. This measure aims to reduce NOx and CO2 pollution and is part of the German government's "Sofortprogramms Saubere Luft 2017-2020". The massive, demand-oriented construction and expansion of the Aachen charging infrastructure will be scientifically supported by RWTH Aachen University.

In this project, the Institute for Power Generation and Storage Systems (PGS) has taken on the task of developing and constructing a solid-state transformer for the intelligent meshing of low-voltage networks and demonstrating its network operation. By the integration of this power electronics transformer into an intelligent load management an improved extent of utilization of the supply grid is to be ensured. In concrete terms, the SST will contribute to providing the required peak loads in areas with an above-average number of charging stations. The demonstration of the SST in grid operation also represents a further milestone on the way to the integration of hybrid grid structures, which are operated with both DC and AC voltages.

The ALigN project is a joint research project under the consortium leadership of the City of Aachen. Further research and project partners are:

  • Regionetz GmbH
  • Stadtwerke Aachen AG
  • smartlab Innovationsgesellschaft mbH
  • aixACCT mechatronics GmbH
  • P3 Energy & Storage GmbH
  • Institut für Stromrichtertechnik und Elektrische Antriebe (ISEA), RWTH Aachen
  • Institut für Stromrichtertechnik und Elektrische Antriebe (ISEA-ESS), RWTH Aachen
  • Institute for Automation of Complex Power Systems (ACS),RWTH Aachen
  • Lehrstuhl für Monitoring and Distributed Control for Power Systems (MOD), RWTH Aachen
  • Professur für Textlinguistik und Technikkommunikation (TLTK), RWTH Aachen
  • Human-Computer Interaction Center (HCIC), RWTH Aachen
  • Institut für Kraftfahrzeuge (ika), RWTH Aachen

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi).