Adding electric vehicle charging stations often requires complex and expensive upgrades to existing electrical infrastructure. Power management company Eaton is tackling this challenge with an automated load management approach that maximizes the charging capabilities of existing electrical systems. The solution was developed with ChargeLab, an open EV charger management software company.
Eaton’s Charging Network Manager software is an integrated solution for monitoring, managing, and commissioning EV charging stations and networks. By creating a digital twin of the electric system, the platform provides dynamic load management by stretching available electrical capacity and providing the fastest possible charge.
“Electrifying transportation has a cascading impact on infrastructure. At Eaton, we’re creating new opportunities for customers to manage power far more effectively and make the most of energy infrastructure,” Paul Ryan, general manager of connected solutions and EV charging at Eaton, said. “We’re bringing end-to-end solutions for charging infrastructure to the table and helping customers creatively manage their options to quickly and safely deploy EV charging networks.”
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With Eaton’s Charging Network Manager software, charging stations can monitor their energy usage in real-time, reallocate power as available to other networked chargers, and balance energy demand across three-phase power systems. Eaton’s approach can help customers minimize infrastructure upgrades for EV charging deployments and optimize their energy systems.
“Software-based load management multiplies the number of EV chargers a site can safely support, sometimes by 10 times or more. This is a game changer for commercial and fleet EV charging,” Zak Lefevre, CEO, ChargeLab, said. “Eaton is unique in providing such a robust, end-to-end solution, including hardware and software.”
