Unlocking the Potential: An In-Depth Analysis of Factors Shaping the Success of Smart and Bidirectional Charging in a Cross-Country Comparison

The increasing utilisation of the distribution grid caused by the ramp-up of electromobility and additional electrification can be eased with flexibility through smart and bidirectional charging use cases. Implementing market-oriented, grid-, and system-serving use cases must be tailored to the different national framework conditions, both in technical and regulatory terms. This paper sets out an evaluation methodology for assessing the implementation of smart and bidirectional charging use cases in different countries. Nine use cases are considered, and influencing factors are identified. The evaluation methodology and detailed analysis are applied to Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden. In every country, the implementation of vehicle-to-home use cases is possible. Realising market-oriented use cases is feasible in countries with a completed smart meter rollout and availability of tariffs with real-time pricing. Grid-serving and ancillary service use cases depend most on country-specific regulation, which is why no clear trend can be identified. Use cases that require direct remote controllability are the most distant from implementation. The overarching analysis provides orientation for the design of transnational products and research and can serve as a basis for a harmonisation process in regulation.