Electric vehicle parking at The Outlook offices at Schiphol just got smart

Amsterdam, 19 September 2019 – Microsoft employees working at The Outlook building in the Netherlands, managed by Schiphol Real Estate, can charge their electric cars at one of the 40 new EVBox charging ports. Interestingly enough, the building’s infrastructure actually allowed for only 17 charging ports to be installed. This is where smart energy management comes into play. With the smart solution offered by technical service provider and energy company ENGIE, charging station manufacturer EVBox and smart charging enabler Smappee, The Outlook is now able to operate 40 EV charging ports instead of just 17, without having to change the current infrastructure. The installation also features bidirectional charging, developped by ENGIE and Hitachi: which allows a dynamic (smart) exchange of energy between cars, building and grid.

Setup of EVBox charging stations at The Outlook (Schiphol)

For the owners and operators of large retail and commercial buildings or major transport hubs, increasing numbers of electric vehicles can be a challenge when it comes to charging. The new energy management technology that ENGIE, Smappee and EVBox have developed allows for a low-cost alternative which reduces the need for changes in the current energy infrastructure. Schiphol Real Estate is leading the charge in a pioneering project.

To add more charging stations at The Outlook building, system integrator ENGIE implemented a unique solution together with its partners EVBox and Smappee: EV charging stations with dynamic load balancing. As such maximizing the number of stations without overloading the building’s electrical capacity. Employees working in Schiphol Real Estates' office building The Outlook are the first to benefit from the new technology.

Example of Dynamic Load Balancing at The Outlook (Schiphol)

The 40 electric vehicle charging ports at The Outlook are divided into two 20-unit strings. At the head of each string is a smart charger equipped with Smappee Infinity technology. It tells the EVBox charging stations how much power to use, logically sequences charging and reduces the power output when needed. This is to avoid overloads or exceeding peak capacity limits, while simultaneously ensuring that every vehicle is optimally charged. It will also enable bidirectional charging: vehicles giving energy back to the building or grid when needed, and adjusting the charging rate when needed.

The Outlook is now able to operate all 40 EV charging ports using infrastructure originally designed to support just 17 and is realizing considerable savings by not having to change anything on the current infrastructure. Schiphol Real Estate aims to replicate this successful initiative in other locations.

Watch the videocase of this project here

About Smappee

Smappee is an award-winning global cleantech company that aims to save its customers energy and money by reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency. Our future-proof energy monitoring system uses state-of-the-art technology to analyze the real-time use of electricity, solar power, gas and water. Smappee is a leading player in its field, offering accurate energy data down to the appliance level. Thanks to its low TCO and multiple integration options, Smappee is the perfect match for ESCOs and companies looking for IoT energy technology integrations.

About ENGIE

ENGIE is committed to responsible growth of its businesses (power, gas and energy services) to succeed in the central challenges of delivering an energy transition to a low-carbon economy: providing access to sustainably generated energy, combating climate change, reducing its effect and making responsible use of natural resources. The Group is developing high-performance, innovative solutions for personal customers, urban authorities and companies by applying its expertise in four key sectors: natural and renewable gas, renewable electricity, energy efficiency and digital technologies.