Georgia Tech researchers are applying app and algorithm tech that dominates our world to the fast-growing electric vehicle sector.
The innovation could provide EV owners with more charge-related control. Energy-savvy motorists would be able to power up at times that won't strain the grid, also resulting in cost-saving opportunities, according to a news release.
Of particular concern is late-afternoon and evening hours, when air conditioners are running and people returning from work plug in, as GT describes it.
"The EV revolution is happening so quickly that electrical utilities will find it difficult and costly to update the grid fast enough to accommodate these vehicles," Professor Michael J. Leamy said in the summary.
It's all rooted in a robust EV market. The International Energy Agency expects worldwide EV numbers to grow twelvefold by 2035. Already, about one-fifth of cars sold globally in 2023 were electric, per the agency.
"We need to buy time for the grid operators so they aren't overwhelmed when more EVs enter the market," Leamy added.
In response, the GT team developed a device that apparently hooks up to a charger. It's loaded with algorithms that determine the best time to charge, based on circumstance. A slider feature on the app provides an easy way to customize the approach. Need a charge in a hurry? Slide all the way to the right. Have some time to spare? Then slide left, utilizing overnight opportunities when the grid isn't as strained.
What's more, the tech can figure out when renewable energy is providing the juice, and when the energy is at its cheapest. This allows the user to maximize cost-saving opportunities, all per the GT report.
The university has been creating a buzz with other clean-energy tech, as well. Researchers recently announced an iron chloride battery cathode billed as potentially "game-changing."
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In India, a universal charger is being developed that could provide power to batteries with a variety of voltages. It's an innovation that could simplify the charging process, if widely used.
It's all part of the way we can better manage the growing amount of renewable energy and electric appliances being used around the world. United Kingdom-based energy think tank Ember estimates that more than 30% of worldwide electricity now comes from renewable sources. In 2000, renewables produced only 19%, per the report.
EV sales are setting records in the U.S., as well. Recent numbers cited by Cox Automotive and Kelley Blue Book show that sales stateside "grew by 11% year over year in the third quarter and reached record highs for both volume and market share." There were around 346,309 EVs sold in Q3, all per the Cox report.
Cleaner energy and tech can help to reduce heat-trapping air pollution, which experts at the World Health Organization note plagues mostly everyone on the planet. The agency adds the gases can increase risks for lung diseases and even death.
And, perhaps of interest to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, air pollution is also impacting crucial pollinators, according to a report in Science.
The team now plans to find industry partners to help them commercialize or license the smart-charging invention.
"We hope to demonstrate that smart charging is feasible on a large scale — and also measure the benefits of doing so," Leamy said in the news release.
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