Eaton becomes part of the EU-backed FLOW consortium to develop and introduce an integrated charging infrastructure for electric vehicles

Press Release: Intelligent energy management company Eaton has announced that it is becoming part of a European research and innovation project to develop the integrated technologies and business models necessary to support the mass deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The newly launched FLOW project, valued at over USD 10 million, is supported by the European Union's Research and Innovation Program Horizon europe and will last for four years until March 2026, focusing on the complete electric vehicle charging chain. The project consortium includes and will lead 24 external partners and six leading universities from across Europe Fundació Institut De Recerca En Energia De Catalunya.

Eaton's role in the overall project will include further work on the development of technologies for charging electric vehicles, as well as the use of solutions based on the company's overall strategy called Buildings as a Grid (Buildings as a Grid), which connects the energy needs of buildings and electric vehicles with the possibility of creating sustainable energy right in the building.

Research and development will focus on V2G, i.e. connecting the vehicle to the network, but also V2X options, where vehicles can be connected to any other element to achieve greater flexibility, DC-DC charging, which provides greater quality and the possibility of control, and further work on the system energy management The building as a network that supports the ability to predict, optimize and further manage. In order to combine all these technologies into one comprehensive solution, several Eaton departments, such as Eaton Research Labs and the Eaton Center for Smart Energy in Dublin, will work together on the project.

"With the growing popularity of electric vehicles across Europe, a comprehensive range of fully integrated charging technologies is urgently needed to support mass deployment and the launch of new services," says Stefan Costea, Regional Technology Manager, Eaton Research Labs. “As a key partner in the FLOW consortium, we are excited to develop optimal solutions for EV charging, V2G, V2X and energy management. We will test these technologies in three test laboratories – in European Innovation Center Eaton in Prague, on and in Fundació Institut De Recerca En Energia De Catalunya in Barcelona. In addition, we will also be involved in extensive technology projects and tests in Rome and Copenhagen with the help of our energy management systems.”

On projects in Prague and Barcelona, ​​Eaton will work closely with Heliox, the market leader in fast charging solutions. University College Dublin a Maynooth University will work with Eaton in Ireland while RWTH Aachen University in Germany will be a partner in the technical-economic analysis of cases of use of the infrastructure for charging electric cars in Prague. In Rome and Copenhagen, Eaton will further collaborate on energy management system interoperability with major transmission and distribution companies ENEL, Terna and Aretia also with academic partners from RSE Italy a Technical universities in Denmark.

"By integrating charging infrastructure into buildings, we are supporting the rapid transition to electric vehicles as part of the energy transition, and we are very proud to be investing heavily in people, technology and programs to support the global move towards a low-carbon future," added Tim Darkes, President, Corporate and Electrical, EMEA, Eaton, to involve the company in the FLOW consortium.

"We are constantly looking for opportunities to connect our global reach and expertise with top industry and academic partners to further strengthen our innovation efforts," adds Jörgen von Bodenhausen, Senior Manager, Government Programs, Eaton. “From building energy management to direct current charging (DC-DC charging), our work within the consortium will aim to advance new solutions that will accelerate the commercialization and mass deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and create entirely new conditions and opportunities for companies and small customers."