E-Autos als Energiespeicher | alles wissen

Summary

Xaver Pfab's innovative bidirectional charging system near Munich is revolutionizing renewable energy management. His setup allows electricity from solar panels to charge an electric car, which can then power the house, demonstrating a two-way energy flow. Pfab, a former BMW developer, uses a 40 kWh car battery capable of supplying his home for four days. With car manufacturers and research centers exploring the potential of vehicle batteries as mobile energy storage, this technology could reduce reliance on large battery systems and gas-fired power plants, making electric vehicles a key component of Germany's energy transition.

Takeaways

• 🏠 Xaver Pfab's home near Munich demonstrates a novel approach to using renewable energy with solar panels and an electric car that can power the house.
• 🔌 Bidirectional charging (BDL) allows electricity to flow both from the solar system to the car and back from the car to the house when needed.
• 🚗 The electric car's battery acts as a storage device, capable of providing up to 4 days of electricity for the house, depending on consumption.
• 🔋 The wall box is crucial for converting direct current from the car battery to alternating current for household use or feeding back into the house's electrical system.
• 🛠️ Xaver Pfab, a former BMW developer, pioneered the concept of bidirectional charging and tested it in his home.
• 📊 His household's daily electricity use is around 10 kWh, while the car battery can store up to 40 kWh, showcasing the potential of electric vehicles as energy sources.
• 📱 An app manages the energy delivery and battery charge state, providing control over the system.
• 🚧 Concerns about the electric vehicle's range were addressed by finding a balance between daily needs and the building's power supply requirements.
• 🔍 Major car manufacturers are exploring the use of electric car batteries for energy storage, including BMW, VW, Audi, and several Asian companies.
• 🌐 A BMW project in collaboration with the Munich Research Center for Energy Economics indicates that vehicle batteries have potential as mobile energy storage for the future power grid.
• 🔄 The concept of using electric vehicles as temporary energy storage could reduce the need for large battery storage systems and gas-fired power plants.
• 🚀 The Munich research center is optimistic about the integration of bidirectional charging into the energy transition, with e-cars becoming mobile buffer storage for a nationwide energy supply.
• 🔬 Further investigation is needed on how batteries can withstand the long-term effects of two-way charging and the integration of wall boxes, solar systems, and power grid controls.
• 🚗🔋 The current capacity of electric vehicles in Germany is equivalent to all the pumped storage power plants combined, indicating a significant potential for future energy storage solutions.
• 🔮 Looking ahead to 2030 and 2040, the growth in electric vehicles could provide substantial energy storage for the electrical system of the future.
• 🔚 Xaver Pfab's pilot project has concluded, and the findings are being evaluated with the aim of bringing the system to market within two years.

Q & A

What is the innovative energy solution implemented by Xaver Pfab near Munich?

Xaver Pfab implemented a bidirectional charging system where the electric car's battery can be charged by solar panels and, when full, can also supply electricity back to the house.

What is bidirectional loading and how does it work?

Bidirectional loading, or BDL, is a process where electricity can flow in two directions. It involves charging an electric car from a solar system and then using the car's battery to supply power back to the house when needed.

What role does the 'wall box' play in the bidirectional charging system?

The wall box transforms the direct current from the car battery into alternating current, which can be used for various household appliances or fed back into the house's electrical system.

What was Xaver Pfab's professional background that led him to develop this system?

Xaver Pfab was a developer at BMW, where he worked on the concept of bidirectional charging, allowing him to test and implement the technology in his own home.

How much electricity does Xaver Pfab's household consume daily, and how does it compare to his car battery's storage capacity?

Xaver Pfab's household uses approximately 10 kWh of electricity per day, while his car battery can store 40 kWh, providing enough energy for four days of household electricity.

How is the energy management in Xaver Pfab's home controlled?

Energy management is controlled through an app that regulates the delivery quantity and the state of charge of the car battery.

What concerns did Xaver Pfab initially have about using his electric vehicle as a battery storage device?

Pfab was concerned about whether the electric vehicle would have a sufficient range for his daily needs if it was also used as a battery storage device for the house.

Which car manufacturers are currently exploring the use of electric car batteries for energy storage?

Manufacturers such as BMW, VW, Audi, and several Asian manufacturers are working on utilizing electric car batteries not just for driving but also for energy storage.

What was the conclusion of the 3-year BMW project with the Research Center for Energy Economics in Munich regarding vehicle batteries as mobile energy storage?

The project concluded that the use of vehicle batteries as mobile energy storage has potential for the future power grid, as vehicles are stationary more than 95% of the time.

How could electric vehicles contribute to the power grid in the future according to the Munich research center?

The research center is optimistic that electric vehicles could serve as mobile buffer storage for energy supply, charging during times of surplus and discharging when renewable energy sources are not producing enough power.

What are the current limitations or areas of development for bidirectional charging systems?

The long-term impact of two-way charging on battery life still needs further investigation, and the interaction between wall boxes, solar systems, and intelligent control of power grids is not yet fully mature.

What is the current status of Xaver Pfab's pilot project, and when does he expect the system to be market-ready?

Xaver Pfab's pilot project has been shut down after completing the test phase. The idea is expected to be ready for the market in about two years.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Innovative Bidirectional Charging for Renewable Energy Use

Xaver Pfab, a former BMW developer, has implemented a pioneering bidirectional charging system at his home near Munich. This system, known as BDL, allows electricity to flow from solar panels into an electric car's battery and back into the house when needed. The 'wall box' serves as a converter, transforming direct current from the battery to alternating current for household use. Pfab's household consumes about 10 kWh daily, while his car battery can store up to 40 kWh, providing sufficient energy for several days. An app manages the energy flow and battery state, addressing concerns about the car's driving range. The potential of using electric car batteries as mobile energy storage is being explored by several car manufacturers, including BMW, VW, Audi, and Asian manufacturers. A BMW project with the Munich Research Center for Energy Economics has shown that vehicle batteries could significantly contribute to the future power grid, reducing the need for large battery storage systems and gas-fired power plants. The Munich research center is optimistic about the integration of bidirectional charging into the energy transition. The technology could enable electric cars to act as mobile buffer storage for the national energy supply, although the long-term effects on batteries and the maturity of the interaction between wall boxes, solar systems, and power grids require further investigation. Pfab's pilot project has concluded its testing phase, and the market-ready idea is expected within two years.

05:01

🔋 The Future of Mobile Energy Storage

As we await the market availability of bidirectional charging systems, Xaver Pfab's electric car will continue to serve as a testament to the potential of mobile energy storage. The current focus is on the car's battery, which, along with the batteries of 1.8 million other electric vehicles in Germany, already possesses a combined capacity exceeding that of the country's pumped storage power plants. Looking ahead to 2030 and 2040, with the projected increase in electric vehicles, these batteries could become the backbone of the future electrical system's energy storage. Pfab's pilot project has completed its testing phase, and the findings are currently under evaluation, with the aim of bringing the self-sufficient energy supply system to market within the next couple of years.

Keywords

💡Solar Panels

Solar panels are devices that convert sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic cells. They are a key component in renewable energy systems. In the video, solar panels are used to generate electricity for Xaver Pfab's house and to charge his electric car, showcasing their role in a sustainable energy setup.

💡Electric Car

An electric car is a vehicle powered by electric motors and batteries rather than an internal combustion engine. The script highlights the electric car's role in Pfab's home energy system, where it serves as a storage unit for excess solar energy, demonstrating the potential of electric vehicles in energy management.

💡Bidirectional Charging

Bidirectional charging, or BDL, is a technology that allows electric vehicles to both receive and supply electricity. It is central to the video's theme, as it enables the car to act as a mobile energy storage unit, charging from and discharging to the home's power system as needed.

💡Wall Box

A wall box, in the context of electric vehicle charging, is a device that converts the direct current from the car's battery into alternating current for household use. The script describes how the wall box is used in Pfab's system to manage the flow of electricity between the car and the house.

💡Direct Current (DC)

Direct current is a type of electrical current that flows in one direction only. The script mentions that the wall box transforms DC from the car's battery into AC, which is necessary for powering most household appliances and devices.

💡Alternating Current (AC)

Alternating current is an electrical current that periodically reverses direction. The video explains that the wall box converts DC to AC, making the electricity usable for various household applications, such as lawn mowers or e-bikes.

💡Energy Storage

Energy storage refers to the capture of energy produced at one time for use at a later time. The video discusses how electric car batteries can be used as mobile energy storage, which is crucial for balancing supply and demand in the power grid.

💡Heat Pump

A heat pump is a device that transfers heat from one place to another for space heating or cooling. In the script, the heat pump is an example of a larger electrical system that can be powered by the energy stored in the electric car's battery.

💡Renewable Energy

Renewable energy comes from natural resources that are replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, and water. The video emphasizes the importance of renewable energy sources, like solar panels, in creating a sustainable energy future.

💡Smart Grid

A smart grid is an electrical grid that uses digital technology to monitor and manage the transport of electricity from all generation sources to meet the varying demands of consumers. The script suggests that intelligent control of power grids is necessary for the integration of bidirectional charging systems.

💡Pumped Storage Power Plants

Pumped storage power plants are facilities that store energy in the form of water at a higher elevation and later release it to generate electricity. The video compares the capacity of electric vehicles to that of pumped storage plants, highlighting the potential scale of energy storage in future electric fleets.

💡Energy Transition

Energy transition refers to the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The script mentions the Munich research center's optimism about bidirectional charging becoming part of the energy transition, indicating a move towards a more sustainable and efficient energy system.

Highlights

Xaver Pfab's house near Munich uses an electric car to power the home with solar panels, demonstrating bidirectional charging.

Bidirectional loading allows electricity to flow from the solar system into the car and back into the house when needed.

The wall box converts direct current from the battery to alternating current for household use.

Xaver Pfab, a former BMW developer, worked on the bidirectional charging concept and tested it in his home.

His car battery can store 40 kWh, enough for 4 days of household electricity, controlled by an app.

Pfab initially had concerns about using the electric vehicle as a battery storage device affecting range.

Daily energy needs can be combined with storage requirements for the building's power supply.

Major car manufacturers like BMW, VW, Audi, and Asian companies are exploring using e-car batteries for more than driving.

A BMW project found that vehicle batteries have potential as mobile energy storage for the future power grid.

Vehicles are stationary over 95% of the time, making them ideal for temporary energy storage.

Using vehicles as storage could reduce the need for large battery systems and gas-fired power plants.

Bidirectional charging could become part of the energy transition in a few years, according to Munich research center.

E-cars could act as mobile buffer storage for Germany-wide energy supply when parked.

The long-term impact of two-way charging on batteries and the integration with power grids need further research.

By 2030-2040, with 20-30 million electric vehicles, they could serve as the energy storage of the future.

Pfab's pilot project has concluded, and the idea is expected to be market-ready in about two years.

The autonomous energy supply concept is inspiring, with Pfab eagerly awaiting series production.

Transcripts

A house with solar panels and an electric car in the garage.

Not unusual so far.

But what was happening under Xaver Pfab's roof near Munich

could change the way we deal with renewable energy

in the long term.

In the last 6 months

we have pulled electricity for the house from the car.

Here the current flowed in different ways than usual.

Namely not only from the solar system into the car,

but also from there back into the house.

This process is called bidirectional loading,

i.e. loading in two directions.

And it works like this:

Electricity from the solar system is fed into the "wall box"

in order to charge the car battery from there.

If it is full,

electricity can be drawn from it at any time if required.

The Wallbox transforms the direct current in the battery

into alternating current.

It can be used directly, e.g. for lawn mowers or e-bikes.

However, it can also be fed back into the house

and operate larger electrical systems such as a heat pump.

Xaver Pfab was a developer at BMW.

He worked on the idea of ​​bidirectional charging, or BDL for short

.

He was able to test the functions in-house.

His household uses around 10 kWh of electricity a day, and

his car battery can store 40 kWh.

Enough energy for 4 days of house electricity.

An app controls the delivery quantity and state of charge.

Nevertheless, Pfab initially had concerns.

With an electric vehicle, the question always plagues you to a certain extent,

is the available range still sufficient for the

distance I have ahead of me.

If you also use the vehicle as a battery storage device,

that would only increase the concern.

However, we learned very quickly that the ranges

that we need for our daily needs

can mostly be easily combined with the storage requirements

for the building's power supply.

Many car manufacturers are currently working on using

the large capacity of e-car batteries

not just for driving,

including BMW, VW, Audi and several Asian manufacturers.

A 3-year project by BMW

and the Research Center for Energy Economics in Munich

has just ended.

Result:

the use of vehicle batteries as mobile energy storage

has potential for the power grid of the future.

Vehicles stand still more than 95% of the time. That's really impressive.

If we can use vehicles in the future as temporary storage

via which the electricity from renewable energies can be loaded into the vehicle.

At times when we don't have energy from the sun or wind,

we can unload these vehicles.

In the future, we will therefore need fewer large battery storage systems

to compensate for these fluctuations and also fewer gas-fired power plants,

which would otherwise have to be built

to ensure the power supply.

The Munich research center is optimistic

that bidirectional charging can become part of the big energy transition in a few years

.

Once all the technical details have been worked out,

it could look like this:

At home, at work or in the parking garage, no matter where e-cars are parked,

they could charge energy as long as there is a surplus of electricity in the country.

When the sun and wind weaken,

feed electricity back into the general grid.

E-cars would thus become mobile buffer storage

for Germany-wide energy supply.

However, how well batteries

can withstand the load of two-way charging in the long term

still needs to be investigated further.

The interaction of wall boxes, solar systems

and intelligent control of small and large power grids

is not yet mature.

But you are working on it. Because the vision is fascinating.

Of the 1.8 million electric vehicles in Germany today,

they already have as much capacity as all the pumped storage power plants

in Germany put together.

Now then further, 2030, 2040, with 20, 30 million electric vehicles,

this will

be the energy storage of the electrical system of the future.

Xaver Pfab's pilot plant was recently shut down.

The test phase is complete, now we are evaluating.

The idea should be ready for the market in about two years.

The way how easy it is

to supply oneself with energy autonomously is inspiring.

We are eagerly waiting for the system to go into series production

so that we can use it again.

Until then, the battery will only power his electric car,

perhaps the mobile power storage of the future.