Province of Utrecht awards €175,000 subsidy to 'SmartCharging++' project to reduce grid congestion
PRESS RELEASE
March 6, 2025
Stedin asks residents to use less energy between 16:00 and 21:00. With the arrival of electric commercial vehicles, the challenge for grid operators becomes even greater. SmartCharging ++ examines the available space on connections, looks at the route planning and allows companies to use each other's charging station to relieve the grid. In the background, they do the charging strategy, reservation and invoicing to ensure that everything runs smoothly and unnoticed by the carriers.
Because this is a unique and innovative approach, the Province of Utrecht has awarded a subsidy of over €175,000 to hmak BV, Seita Energy Flexibility BV and SmartDodos BV. The awarded subsidy is part of a total project investment of €500,000 that is financed by the initiators.
Innovative solution for smart charging
Within 'SmartChargePlan++' a solution is being developed and tested that combines data from various hardware and software sources with intelligent algorithms. This allows a van to be continuously guided to the most suitable charging location based on, among other things, route planning, location, charging status and the available capacity on the electricity grid. By efficiently dealing with charging time and grid capacity, the project can contribute to relieving the burden on the electricity grid and reducing CO₂ emissions. A solution for transporters and companies that have many vehicles on the road based on a planning system.
Awarding of the subsidy
The decision shows that the application meets all the criteria set in the field of technological innovation, quality of collaboration and social impact. The Province of Utrecht particularly appreciates the innovative character of the AI platform and the complementary expertise of the partners involved. The total subsidy will be divided among the project partners hmak BV, Seita Energy Flexibility BV and SmartDodos BV.
Quality and cooperation
The project partners have solid experience in R&D and each bring their own knowledge: from data processing and AI to charging technology and logistics optimization. In addition to these core partners, two external parties are involved in testing the technology under realistic conditions. These represent a multitude of companies with a large EV charging demand. The Province of Utrecht emphasizes the importance of early involvement of end users, both during the development phase and at market introduction.
Social impact
With the increasing electrification of the vehicle fleet and the upcoming bans on diesel and petrol in city centres, there is a great need for new solutions. The 'SmartChargePlan++' project fits in seamlessly with this. By dealing more intelligently with charging sessions and grid capacity, the pressure on the electricity grid can be relieved and sustainable urban logistics remains affordable and scalable.
About SmartDodos: With its SMRTD energy management platform, simulations and APIs for collecting, connecting and integrating energy data, SmartDodos has powerful products on the market that enable clients to deal with sustainable electrical energy more effectively. The development of SmartCharging++ is in line with SmartDodos' strategic vision to develop technological solutions that facilitate the energy transition. The SmartCharging++ product diversifies the product portfolio to respond to the challenges of electric transport of goods, specifically in inner cities.
www.smartdodos.nl
About Seita: With smart scheduling software for simulations and real-time APIs, Seita helps its customers optimize the energy consumption of business processes, including e-mobility. The solutions offered are data-driven, utilize “energy flexibility” and also aim for cost and CO2 savings. From that perspective, the development of the SmartCharging++ Platform fits in with Seita's strategic vision, in which data is indispensable for realizing the ambition in the field of sustainability.
About hmak: hmak enables its clients to optimize their operations by adjusting planning and occupancy based on real-time data, and then creating a solution by offering the possibility to reserve a charging location and safely pay for the electricity consumed. The development of the SmartCharging++ Platform fits in seamlessly with hmak's vision, especially since hmak is also the key to the connection between what is predicted in advance and what actually happens in the field.
www.hmak.nl