Delta, Nissan and CSIRO collaborate on EV charging research

Delta Energy Systems has received a $210,000 grant from the Victorian Government for an 18-month research project on EV charging, being conducted in collaboration with Nissan Australia and CSIRO.

The joint research project aims to develop a smart controller and a platform which combines Delta’s residential RPI series photovoltaic (PV) E5 inverter, BX 6.0 battery and AC Mini Plus EV charger. Besides providing hardware for the project, Delta also developed in-house software and a controller to manage its integrated system.

Researchers will leverage Delta’s integrated system to study off-grid EV charging, using solar power and battery backup, and the optimisation of EV charging profiles to reduce grid impact and maximise the use of renewable energy. The system will undergo tests to confirm its performance in various environmental conditions in the temperature control chamber at the CSIRO Monash facility.

After initial tests are successful, researchers will deploy the system at Nissan Australia’s Melbourne facility. Here the system will undergo extensive field trials with a fleet of the new Nissan Leaf which awaits release in Australia.

Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio approved the funding from the New Energy Jobs Fund (NEJF), which supports Victorian-based projects that create long-term sustainable jobs, increase the uptake of renewable energy generation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive innovation in new energy technologies. She spoke on the positive impact that Delta’s renewable solutions have on the community during her visit to the CSIRO Monash facility.

“The project will address a key need in the electric vehicle market by increasing the accessibility to charging stations for domestic, commercial and mobile customers,” she said. “Such a benefit certainly will contribute to a more stable electrical grid, shorter payback time and more control for the user on charge rates.”

Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio visits the CSIRO Monash facility.

Project coordinator Matti Dinkelmeyer, from Delta Australia’s E-Mobility and Energy Storage Division, demonstrated the system to D’Ambrosio and highlighted the key role that Delta’s energy-efficient products play in the solution. “Once we developed the concept it was fairly easy to integrate the solution with the different Delta components,” he said.

As a renewable energy solutions provider with global operations, Delta welcomes collaboration with industry leaders and government institutions who are driving transformation in Australia’s transportation landscape. Together, Delta, Nissan and CSIRO aim to create an innovative off-grid EV charging solution for users seeking a greener lifestyle.

Top image caption: Steve Dimopoulos MP; Wayne Harris, Nissan Australia – Electrification and Mobility; Victorian Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio; Allen Chao, Delta Australia Director; Rd David Harries, Director of the Low Emissions Technology program at CSIRO; and Matti Dinkelmeyer, Delta Australia E-Mobility and Energy Storage Division.