Soly starts offering smart charging stations

Soly starts offering smart charging stations

Dutch solar energy company Soly starts selling smartly controlled charging stations. Together with their energy management system and dynamic energy contract, they offer solutions for consumers with solar panels.

69% of EV drivers mainly charge at home 

The Nationaal Laadonderzoek 2023 (National Charging Survey 2023) shows that nearly four in five electric drivers also have solar panels. A whopping 69% charge their car mainly at home. "Since the beginning of this year, we have noticed more and more customers approaching us asking if we can also install a charging station. We are now pleased to be able to meet this demand," said Milan van der Meulen, co-founder of Soly.

Ease pressure on energy grid and additional revenue model through smart control 

Many people put their car at the charging station the moment they get home from work. This is, usually, in the early evening. However, the amount of green and low-cost electricity on the energy grid during these hours is considerably less. With a dynamic energy contract, Soly encourages customers to charge their car at the times when energy prices are cheap or even negative. This way, a charging session becomes more affordable while at the same time easing pressure on the energy grid.

A key role is played by the energy management system. "We do not believe that Dutch people decide en masse to manually adjust their energy behavior in order to take advantage of cheap energy, for example. Many times the consumer is not even at home at these times. That is why we are fully committed to automatic control. Our 'Soly Brain' plays a crucial role in this. For example, a user with a dynamic energy contract from us can set the energy price at which charging should start. The user can also decide to use only the production from the solar panels to charge the car," Milan van der Meulen said.

 

Virtual Power Plant 
Slowly, a European Soly network consisting of tens of thousands of homes with solar panels, home batteries, charging stations and heat pumps is unfolding. Together with solar energy generated on company roofs and solar carports. In the future, the company wants to connect and smartly control this network, actively helping to balance the energy grid. Van der Meulen: "We recognize when there is a surplus or shortage on the energy grid. Within seconds, we can turn assets on or off and thus balance the grid. In addition, in the future the system will make it possible for customers within the Soly network to exchange energy with each other."