Hamburg will also moving expand electromobility and the supporting charging
infrastructure. In its capacity as the responsible distribution network operator,
Stromnetz Hamburg must ensure secure, reliable network operation and, at the same time, enable home charging stations to be increasingly integrated in the
network. Specified voltage ranges must also be maintained. Until now, home
charging stations have generally been integrated without external control or
possibilities for intervention. As a result, distribution networks reach their capacity
limits when a large number of electric cars are charged simultaneously, during peak
periods such as the end of a work day. The capacity limits of existing networks can
currently be overcome only by augmenting existing cables and replacing
transformers and switchgear. However, this requires labor-intensive and costly
construction measures, which can also have a significant negative impact on the
quality of urban living. Stromnetz Hamburg and Siemens are therefore collaborating
on a digital solution. By intervening with control and regulating measures, lowvoltage network operators can exploit the flexibility of home charging stations to
relieve the network, for example by distributing the load.
“The requirements to be met by future distribution networks are increasing steadily
due to the greater demand for power resulting from electromobility,” says Thomas
Volk, Managing Director of Stromnetz Hamburg. “We must be prepared for this and
make our network smarter and more flexible, especially on the low-voltage level; a
high degree of digitalization is the only way to reasonably be ready to deal with
sporadic capacity bottlenecks. The pilot project with Siemens gives us the
opportunity to thoroughly test this technology before rolling this - or comparable
solutions – out more broadly. Our customers should be able to meet their changing
mobility needs and be able to rely on a stable and secure power network in the
future.”
“We are pleased to implement this future-oriented pilot project together with
Stromnetz Hamburg,” said Michael Schneider, who heads the Digital Grid Software
& Consulting Segment at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “The rapid growth in
electromobility in cities such as Hamburg will mean heavier loads and a greater demand for high power in the low-voltage network, potentially resulting in network
overloads. Smart, decentralized monitoring and control of private charging
equipment on the secondary distribution network will help provide a fast, costeffective solution for distribution network operators, enabling them to maintain the
high reliability of their networks.”
The project is divided into three phases. The first phase involves testing the
operation management concept on Stromnetz Hamburg’s innovation campus. In the
second step, the findings will be subjected to field tests on the public network, and
the concept will be further refined. Ultimately, the roll-out of a production solution of
the control and connecting units will be prepared.