Electrifying the Grid: How VIRTA Transforms Electric Cars into Virtual Power Plants
Virta, a frontrunner in electric vehicle charging platforms, collaborates with Business Finland, benefitting from innovation funding and loans for its R&D efforts. Now entering a phase of swift international growth, Virta’s latest endeavor aims to integrate EV batteries into the power grid, addressing the surging need for energy flexibility.
Virta’s Grid Innovation: Revolutionizing Energy Balance with EV Charging Networks
Virta is redefining the electricity market’s approach to maintaining balance between production and demand, especially in the face of challenges introduced by the proliferation of variable renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. Traditionally, imbalances were addressed by ramping up or down the output of hydroelectric and thermal power plants, a solution that, while effective, is increasingly seen as cumbersome and less sustainable. Virta’s innovative solution harnesses the power of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, connecting them into a unified demand response reserve. This network is capable of reacting in real-time to disturbances in the grid, ensuring stability and continuity without the need for additional, heavy-duty power plants. By leveraging this technology, Virta supports a more responsive and resilient energy system, tailored to the complexities of modern electricity markets.
Pioneering Sustainable Mobility: Virta’s Bidirectional Charging and Global Vision
Beyond merely offering a sophisticated charging platform, Virta is pioneering the integration of bidirectional charging technology to further bridge the gap between sustainable mobility and energy systems. This approach allows the battery capacity of EVs to be aggregated and utilized as a flexible energy resource, capable of feeding power back into the grid during times of need. Such innovation not only circumvents the slow and capital-intensive process of bringing new power plants online but also aligns with Virta’s mission since its inception in 2013: to expedite the transition to sustainable mobility and energy systems. With ambitions to lead the service platform market in Europe and Southeast Asia, Virta is not just addressing today’s energy challenges but is laying the groundwork for a future where electric transport and energy sustainability are deeply interconnected, driving both profitability and ecological preservation.
