Episode 30 - Building the First-Ever VPP for Public EV Charging in the Nordics

When EV Charging Becomes A Grid Asset

‍
As EV charging infrastructure expands across Europe, Charge Point Operators (CPOs) are becoming some of the largest electricity consumers on the grid. Traditionally, charging networks have been viewed as passive energy consumers. But what if charging infrastructure could actively support the electricity system while creating new revenue opportunities?
‍
This question sits at the heart of one of the most ambitious projects in Nordic emobility. By transforming public charging infrastructure into a Virtual Power Plant (VPP), charging networks can provide valuable flexibility services to grid operators while maintaining a seamless charging experience for EV drivers.

‍
In this episode of the FLEXECHARGE podcast, Christophe speaks with Ludwig Hägglund, Energy Manager at Recharge, and Nicola Miori, Product Management Lead at FLEXECHARGE. Together, they unpack the development of the first-ever Virtual Power Plant for public EV charging in the Nordics, explaining the technology, the business case, and the lessons learned from bringing this industry-first project to life

What You Will Learn in This Episode

‍
This episode is packed with practical insights for CPOs, energy professionals, utilities, and flexibility market participants.

‍
Key learnings include:

‍

• What a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is and how it can transform EV charging infrastructure into an active grid asset
• How EV smart charging and load management enable public charging networks to participate in flexibility markets without impacting customer experience
• Why large-scale charging networks are uniquely positioned to provide grid flexibility services through aggregated charging assets
• How Recharge and FLEXECHARGE qualified public high-power chargers for Frequency Containment Reserve (FCR) participation in Sweden
• Why value stacking is becoming a critical strategy for CPOs looking to improve charging infrastructure profitability
• How virtual power plants, battery storage, and energy optimization are converging to create the next generation of intelligent charging networks

‍