RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Electricité), Jedlix (European Vehicle-Grid-Integration platform) and Groupe Renault have signed a partnership agreement to test the ability of electric vehicles to contribute to balancing electric production and demand by controlling their charging process. This experiment is part of the expected evolutions of the secondary reserve market, which will open up to European competition by 2021.

The massive integration of intermittent renewable energy and the closure of traditional thermal power plants, as provided for in the Multi-annual Energy Program, are driving RTE to look for innovative flexibility solutions and to work with new players to guarantee the balancing of the power system at the lowest cost.

Today, secondary reserve is mainly based on thermal or hydropower plants. RTE, Jedlix and Groupe Renault propose to experiment with a new alternative: controlling the charging of electric vehicles which, following a signal sent by RTE, will inject or draw electricity to help RTE ensure the balance between production and consumption. This is one of the services electromobility will be able to provide to the electrical system of tomorrow1 . The objective of this experiment is to evaluate not only the technical feasibility of this new type of service based on embedded connectivity of the vehicle, but also its value for the power grid and ultimately for the electric vehicle owner.

EVs are a great opportunity for the power system and the transition to a low carbon economy. To seize it in the best way, we need to test today the interaction modes between the vehicle and the system.

Driving an electric vehicle is more than a pleasure and a rational economic choice. It is also the opportunity to become a natural player in the electrical system at home, and to be paid for this service to the network! We are happy to contribute to the opening up of the Secondary Reserve market with rules appropriate for this new distributed resource in France and Europe, alongside RTE and Renault."  

We are very pleased to collaborate with RTE and Jedlix. This is an important step in the integration of the electric vehicle as an essential link in the energy network. In the long term, our customers who own electric vehicles will benefit from a more economical and greener electricity consumption and will therefore be remunerated for the service they provide to the electricity grid.

About RTE

RTE is France’s transmission system operator, in charge of an impressive infrastructure: more than 105 000 km of high and ultra-high-voltage lines spanning the whole of France and 50 interconnections with neighboring European countries. RTE is renowned for its expertise. It has been operating, maintaining and developing this grid for 20 years, while constantly balancing supply and demand, second by second. RTE is a public utility which provides all competing power-generation facilities with non-discriminatory access to the grid. Playing a central role within the French and European power systems, RTE is a vital economic partner of businesses and regions, a pivotal player in the energy transition and the move towards renewable energy sources, and a firm proponent of Europe-wide electrical solidarity.

About Groupe Renault Groupe

Renault has manufactured cars since 1898. Today it is an international multi-brand group, selling close to 3.8 million vehicles in 134 countries in 2019, with 40 manufacturing sites, 12,700 points of sales and employing more than 180,000 people. To address the major technological challenges of the future, while continuing to pursue its profitable growth strategy, Groupe Renault is focusing on international expansion. To this end, it is drawing on the synergies of its five brands (Renault, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors, Alpine and LADA), electric vehicles, and its unique alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors. With a 100% Renault owned team committed to the Formula 1 World Championship since 2016, the brand is involved in motorsports, a real vector for innovation and awareness.

About Jedlix

Jedlix develops and operates a Vehicle-to-Grid Integration (“VGI”) platform to optimize the charging & discharging of electric vehicles and facilitate their insertion into the power grid at scale. Jedlix teams up with energy companies, Charge Point Operators & e-Mobility Service Providers, car manufacturers to reduce the total cost of ownership of Electric Vehicles, to monetize the flexibility of their charging process on energy and balancing markets, and to optimize the use of renewable energy.