This first lessons learnt report outlines challenges and insights gained in the first six months of the Amber project, focusing on the initial tests and framework for EV integration and optimisation.
Report extract
This report highlights key results from Amber’s automated EV charging project, designed to align with real-time wholesale energy pricing. Key findings include:
- Customer Preferences: A strong demand for “set and forget” charging that maximizes solar use and reduces costs, with environmental impact as a secondary factor.
- Tech Integration: Effective smart charging was achieved for 200 Tesla vehicles through API-enabled software, highlighting Tesla’s strong market presence in Australia.
- Excess Solar Utilisation: While customers prefer to use excess solar energy, limited EVSE (charger) capabilities for solar optimization required technical workarounds.
- EV and Battery Coordination: Complex interactions between EVs and home batteries led Amber to adopt separate control systems for each, while developing options to coordinate both devices.
