October 24, 2018    |   back to news

The New York Power Authority (NYPA), North Carolina State University and ABB Group recently received $2.67 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop an intelligent, grid-friendly, modular extreme fast charging system for electric vehicles (EV). The three-year project aims to prototype and test a charging station that significantly speeds up charge time, reduces system footprint and improves efficiency compared to existing alternatives.

"We ultimately envision EV drivers pulling off the road to stop for a cup of coffee, plugging into the charging station and coming out to find the car's battery has been topped off," said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO. "Drivers need to feel confident that they will be able to easily drive across the state and not have to worry about recharging."

Unlike existing Level 3 charging stations, which are brand-specific and charge one vehicle at a time, the proposed system will service multiple automotive brands and can charge up to four vehicles simultaneously. The key innovation is a high-voltage electrical conductor that feeds multiple chargers and receives power directly from medium-voltage utility lines. The integration of medium-voltage switchgear, without use of a step-down transformer, significantly reduces the system footprint and installation costs compared to existing Level 3 solutions. The collaboration between a utility, academia and a technology vendor will bring together the elements needed to launch this groundbreaking concept.

The system is a significant leap forward in EV charging technology and could potentially revolutionize the EV industry, especially if deployed at scale. For drivers, the new fast charging systems will help ease charge anxiety a major barrier to widespread adoption of EVs by eliminating worry about battery life or excessive charge times. For property owners interested in having a charging station, the improved technology will help attract more EV drivers to their locations, in addition to being easier and cheaper to install.

The charging stations will also include a bidirectional transformer capable of returning energy to the grid, enabling drivers to use their vehicles as mini-generators during hours of peak electricity demand. During the final year of the three-year project, the charging stations will be tested at NYPA facilities across New York State, using both real EVs and simulators to log detailed data about the charging station's performance. The final product would be made available to both public and private agencies.

"Most EV consumers are familiar with Level 1 and Level 2 chargers that use the low voltage typical of households, 110 or 220 volts, and take several hours to reach a full charge," said Gregory Pedrick, the NYPA engineer leading the Research & Development project. "This will be a Level 3 charger, which means you get a full charge in an hour or less, but it's less than half the size of other Level 3 chargers that are available right now."

The funding received by NYPA, North Carolina State University and ABB is part of an $80 million investment being made by the DOE to support advanced vehicle technology research. Projects funded by grant DE-FOA-0001919 are leading innovation in batteries and electrification, materials, technology integration, engines and fuels, and off-road and fluid power systems.

The research complements NYPA's EVolve NY program, a $250 million commitment through 2025 to address infrastructure and market gaps to advance the adoption of EVs in New York State. In support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Charge NY program, NYPA has overseen development and installation of EV charging stations throughout the state.

NYPA owns and operates approximately one-third of New York's high-voltage power lines. Those lines transmit power from NYPA's three large hydroelectric generation facilities and wind power generation facilities, connecting nearly 7,000 megawatts of renewable energy to New York State's power grid, including connecting more than 6,200 megawatts of hydroelectric power and about 700 megawatts, or more than a third, of New York State-generated wind energy to the grid. This project supports NYPA's strategic initiative to develop innovative customer solutions and the Governor's Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to improve New York's energy infrastructure.

Source: New York Power Authority