INESC TEC behind the wheel of a solution that allows charging electric cars and getting discounts

Users can now go to three Continente stores in the country and charge their electric vehicle, “participating in the energy ecosystem”. The solution aims to encourage electric mobility and was designed during the InterConnect project – led by INESC TEC for five years.

Going to the supermarket, charging the electric vehicle and benefiting from discounts. INESC TEC seeks to encourage electric mobility with a solution that uses computational learning models and optimisation algorithms to create a data-based service that promotes the charging of electric vehicles during specific (and more favourable) times of the day.

The service offers discounts on charging rates in periods with excess renewable energy production (through solar panels) or when electricity prices are lower. This information is then shared with the users via the Continente Plug&Charge app. The solution is the result of the InterConnect project, led by INESC TEC, and is used every day by customers of the Continente stores in Matosinhos, Amadora and Évora – the three locations that welcomed the project-pilot.

“The solution makes charging more accessible for users, while improving the sustainability of the process. In addition, it reduces the operating costs – i.e., electricity costs – of the charging station operator”, explained Carlos Silva, researcher at INESC TEC.

Here’s how it works: the information from the entire charging infrastructure of the stores is added to data related to the price of electricity and local production. Then, the system forecasts the number of spots available at the charging stations for the next day, defining tariffs and incentives according to optimisation – the PV surplus is channelled to the electrical charging instead of being sold to the grid. The users receive push notifications informing of the “happy hour” (which may change depending on the day) 24 hours before.

“Happy Hour was a very relevant feature that we introduced in the Continente Plug&Charge app. It brings flexibility to the business, allowing the customer to seek less sought-after periods throughout the day. But the main advantage lies in the benefits for the customers, who take an active role in the energy ecosystem: by changing their habits and behaviours, they can further benefit from this service,” said André Gomes, from MC.

A hundred incentives

The solution from the InterConnect project, which for five years has developed interoperable solutions to connect homes, buildings and smart grids, “introduces a new dynamic of energy consumption and resource management in charging infrastructures and stores”. But not only that: the economic benefits work as an incentive, towards welcoming more users to this mobility endeavour.

The service has been operational since January 2024 and more than 100 discounts are awarded every month, allowing consumers to reduce charging costs. The three Continente stores consumed, in total, more than 85 MWh of electricity during certain periods until August 2024.

“The results obtained allow us to confirm that most discounts offered in stores meet periods when market prices are lower or there is excess photovoltaic generation, fulfilling the pre-defined objective,” said Carlos Silva.

And there are other benefits – but it can be trickier to estimate them. For example: how do customers react to incentives? Now, the researchers are studying advanced techniques to assess the real impact of making the discounts available to electric vehicle users. This information can be an asset to change behaviours.

“Although the project has already ended, the solution is still operational, so that users can enjoy the incentives outside the scope of the project”, concluded Carlos Silva. The group behind Continente seeks to implement this solution in other stores.

The researcher also emphasised potential research domains “within the scope of the conceptualisation of this service and the data obtained from the implementation, with opportunities to expand to different types of businesses”.

The InterConnect project started in October 2019 and ended in March 2024; systems and users interacted in a transparent and sustainable way, without the need to depend on a specific equipment manufacturer. In addition to the commercial pilot, led by MC, the Portuguese demonstrator also included a residential initiative, led by E-REDES.