Jiangsu Changzhou: Accelerating the Development of Vehicle Network Infrastructure

CHANGZHOU,China, March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with seven other departments, jointly announced the second batch of comprehensive electrification pilot zones for public domain vehicles. Changzhou City was successfully selected as one of these pilot zones.

As a leader in urban energy transformation, State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company is leveraging innovative technologies to accelerate the development of a new power system that integrates "vehicle-charging station-network" collaboration. This initiative provides robust support for the innovative applications of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction, photovoltaic storage and charging, and intelligent network connectivity in Changzhou.

In recent years, the visibility of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in Changzhou has significantly increased, leading to a growing demand for charging infrastructure. State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company has focused on optimizing the layout of charging facilities, creating a "5-minute charging service circle" in central urban areas. To date, the company has operated 557 public charging stations and 2,893 charging piles. In response to residential needs, an innovative "unified construction and unified service" model for charging facilities in old residential areas has been launched, resulting in the establishment of 153 public charging stations across 102 residential areas. In 2024, there were 36,007 applications for residential charging piles, marking a 37.7% increase compared to the previous year, effectively addressing the issue of limited charging access.

Simultaneously, State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company is actively exploring V2G technology, enabling electric vehicles (EVs) to serve as mobile energy storage units and transforming one-way charging into bidirectional energy exchange. The company has pioneered V2G demonstrations in the public transportation sector, organizing 390 NEVs and 9 charging stations to participate in grid valley filling auxiliary services, aggregating 15,000 kilowatts of adjustable load. Additionally, the application of V2G technology through 10 urban public power stations and 5 bus-dedicated power stations has facilitated market-oriented participation of EVs in grid peak regulation, positioning them as a new force in flexible grid management.

The smooth operation of the vehicle network depends on both versatile charging stations and a flexible power grid. Currently, the company has constructed over 30 integrated photovoltaic-storage-charging stations, such as the Anyang Li social parking lot, and has innovatively established standards for "photovoltaic-storage-charging integrated micro-grid systems." Through collaborative operations involving photovoltaic power generation, energy storage peak adjustment, and orderly charging, the "green content" of NEV consumption has been significantly improved while reducing operational costs. Jiangsu Province has also built the first municipal virtual power plant monitoring and management platform, which aggregates micro-grid, charging pile, and 5G base station resources from 3,508 households, with a total capacity of 586,700 kilowatts. The platform's maximum upward adjustment capacity is 161,200 kilowatts, and its maximum downward adjustment capacity is 131,600 kilowatts, significantly enhancing the level of renewable energy consumption and grid flexibility.

In 2025, Changzhou will accelerate research on core technologies such as grid-friendly charging and swapping stations, optimize the charging peak and valley electricity price mechanism, promote orderly charging in public areas and residential communities, and conduct V2G pilot demonstrations. These efforts aim to cultivate a new industrial ecosystem of vehicle and network integration and interaction, promoting the high-quality development of the NEV industry.

"We will seize this opportunity to make every electric vehicle a 'mobile energy cube' for the power grid, contributing to the construction of a large-scale, intelligent, and efficient vehicle network interaction system," said Qian Yuxuan, Intelligent Electricity Specialist at State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company Marketing Department. With the continuous improvement of the vehicle network interaction system, Changzhou is advancing towards the fast lane of NEV industry and grid collaborative development.                                      

SOURCE State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company