This near real-time information will also help utility providers better manage power grid loads during peak charging times -- a challenge that is set to grow as more electric vehicles are on the road, the company said.
The pilot combines a Web-based application (app) designed and developed by IBM scientists in Zurich and a data recording device created by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW).
The device, roughly the size of a phonebook, was installed in several electric vehicles, including a Renault Twingo, to collect information on the vehicle's battery charge level, location and the power source.
The device transmits the data via a cellular network to an IBM cloud based on IBM BladeCenters running DB2 and WebSphere. This monitoring capability not only benefits the user but also provides utility providers with further insight into energy generation and consumption, the project partners said in a written statement.
The project has the potential to contribute to Switzerland's energy policy goal of increasing the proportion of electricity produced from renewable energy by 5,400 gigawatt hours (GWh), or 10 percent of the country's present-day electricity consumption, by 2030.
According to the latest statistics available, approximately 55.6 percent of Switzerland's overall electricity production comes from renewable sources, with hydropower by far the biggest contributor at more than 96 percent.
"Electric vehicles can be used to buffer the irregular production of electricity from future renewable sources, which will contribute to the overall stability of the electrical network," said Peter Franken, head of the Energy Distribution department of EKZ and executive management member. "With this project we can show how electric vehicles can create a balance between supply and demand for smarter energy grids."
The IBM app runs on most smartphones, tablets and Web browsers, and provides an integration point between the vehicle, the utility provider and the driver. Using a simple four-button interface the app shows the vehicle's battery level, range of travel distance, vehicle location, charge schedule and current energy costs in real time.
"This service will make electric vehicles more attractive to consumers by taking into consideration their preferences, while still factoring in cost and overall convenience," said Dieter Gantenbein, leader of the Smart Grid research project at IBM Research - Zurich.
"In this pilot, the real-time analysis of supply and demand together with a control algorithm will create a dynamic incentive for a sustainable way to charge an electric vehicle's battery, putting us another step closer to establishing a cleaner transport system," Gantenbein said.
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