Introduction
On a site equipped with solar capacity dedicated to self-consumption with surplus resale, all the energy generated that is not consumed on-site is either fed back into the grid and sold to EDF, or stored if the site is equipped with batteries.
Typically, solar surplus is generated in the afternoon, when the sun shines and the buildings do not consume as much energy.
However, EV charging often starts in the morning.
As a result, charging is often carried out using energy that is not generated on-site.
In simple terms, the goal of solar optimization is to shift as much charging as possible to the hours when solar energy production exceeds consumption.
Nevertheless, the optimized solar mode ensures that your vehicle is fully charged by the end of the day, whether solar energy is available or not. If necessary, the optimized solar mode will also draw energy from the grid.
What is optimized solar charging?
For an EV driver, there are two charging modes:
The “classic” mode
The optimized solar mode
Optimized solar charging is a charging mode that maximizes the share of solar energy used and minimizes reliance on grid electricity for charging.
The goal is to maximize the auto-consumption of solar energy.
The benefits are multiple:
Environmental: self-consumed solar energy is green and local
Economic: the energy generated by solar panels is cheaper than the energy purchased from the grid
How to use the optimized solar charging mode?
Simply select the optimized solar mode in the mobile app when starting your charging session.
What is the DejaBlue solar optimization algorithm?
This algorithm is designed to maximize the share of solar energy used to charge your vehicle when you select the optimized solar charging mode.
To do this, it relies on both real-time solar production data and the energy consumption data of your building.
When a surplus is available, the energy is directed to power the charging stations.
In practice, the charging stations are managed by an algorithm that prioritizes charging during periods when your site’s solar production exceeds consumption.
As a result, the system may pause or slow down charging when no surplus solar energy is available, and wait until excess production occurs to avoid purchasing electricity from the grid.
When will my charging session start?
Our priority is to ensure you can charge with peace of mind: your charging session will always start no later than 3:00 PM, regardless of solar production, weather conditions, or the time you plugged in.
This way, if the solar surplus generated during the day is not sufficient, you’ll still get your vehicle charged.
If you plug in your vehicle before 3:00 PM, there are two possible scenarios:
No solar surplus available: your vehicle’s charging will be postponed until a surplus is generated, or it will automatically start at 3:00 PM if no surplus becomes available before then.
Solar surplus available: your vehicle will charge in the order in which vehicles selecting the optimized solar mode were plugged in.
The mobile app will indicate the latest time at which your vehicle’s charging session will begin.
If you plug in after 3:00 PM, charging will start automatically.
Why does charging start for a few seconds and then stop?
When you launch a session in optimized solar mode, we first check that the charging station is functional.
We therefore start with a short test session to make sure everything is working properly. This test session lasts for up to one minute, after which it stops—or continues if surplus solar energy is available.
What are the requirements to use DejaBlue’s optimized solar charging?
To be able to use the optimized solar mode on a site, the following conditions must be met:
Solar installations must operate in self-consumption with surplus resale, or in Auto-consommation Collective (ACC in French)
Charging stations must be located on the same site as the solar installations and connected to the same delivery point (PDL)
DejaBlue supervision services must be connected (supervision of charging stations)
The necessary hardware, such as DejaSense, must be installed
For any further questions or assistance, please contact DejaBlue support at support@dejablue.energy.