ZAP Licenses PNNL’s Car Smart Charger Controller Technology

The controller technology allows customers to minimize the cost of charging electric vehicles by automatically recharging a vehicle’s battery at times of least demand on the grid and subsequently, least cost to the consumer and least stress on the grid.

The plans came after ZAP entered into a non-exclusive license with Battelle, which operates PNNL for the DOE.

ZAP plans to distribute the new technology as part of its electric vehicles business plan, including through its strategic investor and distribution partner Samyang Optics (008080.KS) of Korea.

PNNL publicly announced the Smart Charger Controller technology last year after completing an earlier assessment that showed America‘s existing power grid could meet the needs of about 158 million vehicles, or 70 percent of all U.S. light-duty vehicles, if battery charging was managed to avoid new peaks in electricity demand.

Electric vehicle owners program the controller by setting the time they want the battery to be fully charged and the controller does the rest. The controller uses a low-range wireless technology to communicate with the power grid and determine the best and cheapest time to recharge vehicles. By charging vehicles during off-peak times, the controller saves electric car owners money and helps maximize the capacity of the electrical grid during periods of peak demand.

Previous PNNL studies with household appliances show that "smart" technologies also save the grid from brown-outs with little impact to the consumer. Grid Friendly(TM) technology inside the Smart Charger Controller senses stress conditions on the grid. When the grid says more power is needed, the controller can temporarily stop charging the vehicle until the stress subsides.

This instant reduction in charging load, multiplied on a large scale with many electric cars, could serve as a shock absorber for the grid and help to incorporate renewable energy like wind and solar. The technology could relieve load instantly and give grid operators time to bring new power generation sources on line to stabilize the grid – a process that usually takes several minutes.

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