AFIR: the story about Felix, Clara and HARMON-E

Once upon a time, there were two people named Felix and Clara.

They managed the energy supply in a village where many residents had begun to adopt home computers, which promised to revolutionize productivity and provide significant technological benefits.  

Soon, more home computers were to be introduced, following a directive from the regional mayor.

The mayor's decision was driven by the rising demand for the advantages of home computing and his commitment to fulfilling campaign promises made the previous year – after all, a politician never breaks their promises... Right?

Felix and Clara were, of course, excited about the decision as it presented an opportunity to increase electricity sales and expand their business.

However, amid the excitement, they were deeply concerned about potential power shortages due to the surge in home computer adoption, the rapid pace of the mayor’s decision, the high demand for electricity, and the future implications for both their operations and the village.

Their existing power grid was simply not equipped to handle the transition, and their concerns were justified. Frequent power outages plagued the village, causing significant disruptions and leading the community to blame Felix and Clara for not adequately managing the energy supply.

This was a point of significant embarrassment and frustration for Felix and Clara, who were dedicated to maintaining their power station and ensuring the village remained powerful and secure.

But one day, someone arrived, and everything began to clear up.  

To be continued...
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So, you've just finished reading the initial story about Felix and Clara, a couple facing challenges in a village amidst significant changes. Now, you might be sitting in your chair, scratching your head, wondering what on earth this has to do with anything, especially with that mayor making self-willing decisions seemingly out of the blue.

But fear not, there's a method to the madness. The story is, of course, a reflection of us here at Flexecharge and our customers. Just like Felix and Clara, we're all constantly adapting to a rapidly changing world.

From new competitors popping up to ever-evolving regulations and laws, we're always on our toes, striving to keep pace with advancing technology while ensuring our customers remain satisfied and everything runs smoothly.

Now, let's take a step back from the story and delve into the present reality. We'll do so by exploring a recent directive called AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive).

AFIR - what it means for you, me and your business

AFIR, a directive from the European Commission, is all about setting the future rules for how we deal with alternative fuels in Europe and take better care of our planet. It came into play on April 13th this year, and it's kind of a big deal for us.

With more electric cars hitting the roads, thanks to AFIR and other regulations, things in our industry are changing fast. Our pals have been chatting about it for a while, but hey, it's never too late to join the party, right? Being fashionably late....

AFIR undeniably means we're going to see more charging spots popping up across Europe, which is only a good thing and absolutely the direction we should be heading in. It will also mean more fairness in competition and transparent pricing, which is overall good news for everyone.

But, like Felix and Clara in our little story, keeping up with new rules and regulations can be a bit tricky. With more charging spots emerging, making sure the power keeps flowing smoothly might get tough. For example, the directive prescribes the following:  

• Those smart recharging points should comprise a set of physical attributes and technical specifications (hardware and software) that are necessary for sending and receiving data in real-time and enabling the flow of information between market actors that are dependent on those data for fully developing the recharging experience, including recharging point operators, mobility service providers, e-roaming platforms, distribution systems operators and, ultimately, end users.

And also, this:  

• On the basis of input from transmission system operators and distribution system operators, the regulatory authority of each Member State shall assess, by 30 June 2024 and every three years thereafter, the potential contribution of bidirectional recharging to reducing user and system costs and increasing the renewable electricity share in the electricity system. That assessment shall be made publicly available. On the basis of the results of the assessment, Member States shall, if necessary, take appropriate measures to adjust the availability and geographical distribution of bidirectional recharging points in private areas and include them in the national progress reports.

That's where Flexecharge steps in and offers our help and solutions to help you be compliant with the content in AFIR. Let us tell you why.  

• Flexecharge's platform ensures compliance with AFIR's requirement for smart charging spots that communicate and share information.

• Our solution facilitates improved data sharing between charging point operators and service providers, ensuring efficient and compliant operations.

• AFIR's emphasis on alternative fuel setups at key locations like the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) aligns perfectly with our platform's capabilities.

• We help businesses meet AFIR's requirements for TEN-T locations, including minimum output capacity per location and at least one charging point.

• Our clever load management solutions ensure compliance, even in locations with limited grid capacity.

So, we are ready to lend a hand when you are ready to take the next step in expanding your business while being compliant with AFIR requirements.  

Which leads us to the story of Felix and Clara and the mysterious someone who arrived at the village to help get the situation under control.  

The mysterious someone

We left Felix and Clara in a somewhat desperate state where the whole town had turned against them. But as you read, someone special arrived. A mysterious someone. We already gave you a strong hint. But, here it goes...

A special consultant named ‘HARMON-E’ heard about the problems Felix and Clara were facing and arrived in the village to help them sort out the issues.

HARMON-E presented its abilities to predict when the village needed to save energy to prevent a collapse of their power station. During times of high energy use, HARMON-E would give notice to reduce power consumption and, in special situations, even turn off the home computers and other non-essential devices around the village.

And just like that, everyone’s homes stayed powered, everyone got the benefits of their computers, and the village remained happy.

Thanks to HARMON-E, Felix and Clara managed their struggles and kept the world turning in the little village - even in a state of constant changes, high demands, and endless expectations.

What do we then take from this?

Don’t make the same mistakes as Felix and Clara. Keep up with changes and be compliant with the future – in this case that is the set of regulations in AFIR.  

Make sure to be proactive and reach out to get your own solution like HARMON-E – it will not just show up as a random consultant, as it did in the story.  

And that is exactly what Flexecharge can offer you: HARMON-E is our solution that will keep the lights shining and help you keep your villages happy - all while being compliant with the technological advancements of a fast-developing world.

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