NEC and University of Tokyo co-develop Demand Response technology for charging EV and PHEV batteries

*** For immediate use March 1, 2013


Tokyo, March 1, 2013 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) and Professor Kazuhiko Ogimoto with the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, have jointly developed Demand Response (DR) technology that assists with balancing the supply and demand of electricity by efficiently charging batteries for Electric Vehicles (EV) and Plug-in-hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).

This technology enables power companies to efficiently allocate electricity to EV or PHEV chargers during periods of low net demand when, for example, a variety of renewable energy sources generate a surplus of power. This is accomplished by aggregating information on how long large numbers of EVs are available for charging when they connect to a charging station, which allows power companies to strategically allocate electricity when it is most abundant or cost friendly. This benefits both electricity consumers, who can save on electricity costs, and electricity suppliers, who seek a stable and low-cost power supply.

"The growing availability of renewable energy, such as solar power and wind power, presents technical challenges due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy. This must be addressed in order to maintain the reliability of the supply and delivery of electricity.  As EV and PHEV become more widely used, there will be a rapid increase in their demand for electricity. The effective allocation of power used for charging batteries, i.e. DR, will help to maintain the delicate balance between supply and demand," said Professor Ogimoto.

Hidenori Shimawaki, General Manager, Smart Energy Research Laboratories, NEC Corporation said, "DR is an important solution that manages electricity consumption in response to the changing conditions of electricity supplies. To be a leading provider of energy management solutions, NEC will continue developing new DR and small grid technologies that strengthen the energy business."