EV drivers receive compensation for reducing strain power grid

Electric vehicle drivers (e-drivers) in Gelderland can receive a reimbursement if they choose to charge their cars smartly at a public charging station. To this end, grid operator Liander is launching a pilot program in collaboration with technology partner Deftpower, charging station operators Vattenfall and Allego, and charging card providers ANWB and Athlon at 12,000 public charging points in Gelderland. This is one of the first large-scale initiatives in the Netherlands in which users of public charging stations are financially rewarded for flexibility. The study will examine whether a financial incentive encourages electric vehicle drivers to charge more often outside peak hours and how much flexibility this creates for more efficient use of the power grid.

More and more people are driving electric vehicles. At the same time, pressure on the power grid is increasing, especially in the late afternoon and evening. It is precisely during these times that many electric cars are plugged into public charging stations. Two-thirds of those cars then remain plugged in all night. This presents opportunities to start charging sessions later, without any consequences for the user.

“More and more people are charging their cars in public spaces. If some of those charging sessions were shifted to off-peak hours, we could make smarter use of the power grid without compromising convenience. Through this partnership, we’re investigating whether a financial incentive would encourage electric vehicle drivers to make this choice consciously,” says Gilbert de Graaf, Director of Market Services at Liander.

EV drivers stay in control

Through the charging apps from ANWB, Athlon, and Allego, electric vehicle drivers can opt for smart charging. In the app, they can see if a charging station is participating in the pilot and indicate when they’ll need the car again. Charging is then scheduled as much as possible for times when the power grid is less congested. This ensures the car is fully charged by the specified departure time.

In exchange for smart charging, participants receive compensation averaging 10% of the cost of a charging session. The compensation applies to the portion of the charging session that is shifted to a less busy time and is settled or paid out via the app. Business drivers can also participate.

Don’t limit—encourage

Previous initiatives in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Brabant, and Overijssel, among other places, have shown that automatically and temporarily reducing charging power can help reduce peak loads on the power grid. This collaboration is exploring a different approach.

Instead of automatically limiting charging capacity, the focus is on the e-driver’s conscious choice. Participants decide for themselves whether they want to participate and receive compensation for doing so. The guiding principle is not to restrict, but to incentivize.

Until now, compensation for flexibility has mainly been offered to households with their own charging points. With this new initiative, the parties involved are investigating whether this is also possible on a larger scale at public charging stations. To participate, drivers link their cars to the charging app. This is currently possible for approximately 60% of the Dutch electric vehicle fleet. The pilot will run until the end of January 2027.