Installation for charging electric vehicles at a site subject to power outages

Abstract

The invention relates to an installation and method for charging electric vehicles comprising a photovoltaic cell field (1) and / or a wind farm (2), forming renewable energy sources, a generator set (4), a set of buffer storage batteries (5), electric vehicle charging stations (6) (7), a management device (10) comprising first and second management units (8, 9), the installation being connected to a general power supply network, the installation being designed to use primarily energy from renewable energy sources, then the buffer storage batteries, if necessary by drawing energy from vehicles present but not prioritized for charging, which will then be carried out later, energy from the general power supply network, and as a last resort by operating the generator set if the network is unavailable. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: INSTALLATION FOR CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN A SITE SUBJECT TO A POWER CUT

[0001] The invention relates to an installation for recharging electric vehicles in a site subject to a power cut.

[0002] Generally speaking, for various reasons, particularly ecological and climatological, we are seeing an increase in the number of electric and hybrid vehicles in circulation.

[0003] This goes hand in hand with the need to increase the number of charging stations in public or semi-public areas.

[0004] It should also be noted that company vehicle fleets are pioneers in the adoption of 100% electric vehicle solutions, with companies being fiscally incentivized to switch to all-electric and to install charging stations on their sites ('semi-public').

[0005] We know the constraints on the range (limited mileage) of 100% electric vehicles, which requires increasing the number of charging stations and distributing them geographically in a balanced manner to cover a given territory with a suitable network of charging stations.

[0006] Charging stations in the public or semi-public domain are generally connected to the general electricity supply network of the territory or country concerned.

[0007] However, in certain geographical areas, the electricity network is subject to frequent cuts, i.e. service interruptions, the duration of which may be more or less significant.

[0008] In the event of a power outage, vehicles connected to the station's charging terminals can no longer be recharged during the power outage.

[0009] This can be detrimental to users and cause unwanted delays. The inventors sought to remedy this situation and a need arose to propose a charging installation for electric vehicles having increased independence with regard to possible cuts in the supply of electricity from the network and which, moreover, has a minimal carbon footprint.

[0010] To this end, the invention proposes a charging installation for charging electric vehicles comprising: - a field of photovoltaic cells and / or a wind farm, forming renewable energy sources, - a generator, - an energy buffer storage device, - a plurality of charging stations for charging existing vehicles, each of the existing vehicles being connected to a charging station, - a management device, for managing the production and storage of electrical energy, managing energy levels on board vehicles, and planning and ordering vehicle recharging, the installation being connected to a general electricity supply network, characterized in that the management device is configured to: - receive from each of the vehicles, or estimate, a future departure time stamp and a current charge level, at least for the vehicles present, - identify one or more priority vehicles from among the plurality of vehicles present based on their future departure timestamp and their respective current charge level, - recharge the priority vehicle(s) using the following energies in a predetermined order of preference: solar energy supplied by the photovoltaic cells, wind energy supplied by the wind turbines, energy stored in the energy buffer storage device, energy on board the vehicles present other than the priority vehicles, energy from the general electricity supply network, and if these energies are not available in sufficient cumulative quantity then the management device is configured to start the generator set and an output from the generator set is directed to the charging terminal(s) to which the priority vehicle(s) are connected.

[0011] Thanks to such an arrangement, priority is given to all available energy sources that do not directly use fossil fuel. Indeed, it is noted that only the generator set, here conventional, uses a hydrocarbon-based fuel, most often of fossil origin (although it is not excluded to use a synthetic hydrocarbon). In addition, within the framework of the present invention, it is sought to minimize the use of the general electricity supply network, the carbon footprint of which is not known. It is sought to favor energy produced locally, in particular by renewable sources located in the vicinity.

[0012] Advantageously, the management device can build a schedule for recharging the vehicles present while identifying the highest priority vehicles for recharging and those whose recharging can wait, which forms a planned need for energy to be supplied for recharging and the management device compares the current resources, in power and in energy stored on the different available sources, by prioritizing their use as will be seen later.

[0013] If the resource balance sheet requires it, it is planned, where appropriate, to take from energy in vehicles present but not priority. These vehicles present but not priority have a departure time stamp that is further away, we will temporarily lower their battery charge level, but their battery will be recharged later, while remaining compatible with their own departure time stamp. In other words, we use non-priority vehicles as an additional buffer battery in addition to the stationary buffer storage batteries.

[0014] It is noted that the energy buffer storage device can typically be a set of electrochemical storage batteries, but other solutions are also envisaged as will be seen later.

[0015] It is specified here that the expression "and / or" is open, which means that the installation can be equipped with only one wind farm (or several) or only one solar / photovoltaic farm (or several) or even both at the same time, wind and solar.

[0016] In this document, the term “electric vehicle” covers both the case of the 100% electric vehicle (zero emission) and the case of the plug-in hybrid vehicle, whether private vehicles, utility vehicles or heavy goods vehicles.

[0017] With regard to electric or rechargeable hybrid vehicles, the expression “current charge level” means the current filling rate of the main battery of said vehicle, often expressed as a percentage from 0% to 100%, this level or rate also corresponds to the English term “State of charge (SOC)”.

[0018] Regarding the future departure timestamp, if it is not received from the vehicle, then it is estimated by the management device assuming that the vehicle will remain in contact with the charging station for a predefined time, for example X hours.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the predetermined order of preference is: first the renewable energy sources, then the energy from the energy buffer storage device, then the energy on board the vehicles present other than priority vehicles, then finally the energy from the general electricity supply network.

[0020] In this way, priority is given to renewable energy sources, whether wind or solar. Next in the hierarchy is the energy stored in the energy buffer storage device (buffer batteries), which most often also comes from the wind or solar source within the framework of the installation considered. Other vehicles are only used if the elements higher in the order of preference cannot sufficiently contribute to the recharging of priority vehicles. In addition, we seek to minimize the use of the general electricity supply network, the carbon footprint of which is unknown. We seek to favor energy produced locally, in particular by renewable sources located in the vicinity, so the use of the network only occurs after the sources mentioned above. Finally, we note that the generator is outside the order preferably because it is an absolute last resort.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the vehicles present transmit to their respective charging terminal the time remaining before complete charging, and the charging terminal transmits said time remaining before complete charging to the management device.

[0022] Thus the planning calculation can be more precise, it is the vehicle considered which has the best knowledge of its possible recharging curve. In the absence of this information the management device will have to make assumptions based solely on the current charge level and the future departure time stamp.

[0023] According to an optional aspect, the installation may further comprise a fuel cell generator, and the predetermined order of preference is then: first the renewable energy sources, then the energy supplied by the fuel cell or the energy supplied by the energy buffer storage device, then the energy on board the vehicles present other than priority vehicles, then finally the energy from the general electricity supply network. It may be necessary to resupply the fuel cell generator with hydrogen, periodically or on request.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the charging terminals are configured to, in cooperation with a charging manager on board a vehicle present, draw electrical energy from a vehicle present but not a priority vehicle for the management device.

[0025] This energy flow of discharge from a vehicle is exceptionally authorized, in the opposite direction to the usual direction, this characteristic being singular and distinctive.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the management device comprises a first management unit for managing the production and storage of electrical energy, and a second management unit, for managing energy levels on board the vehicles, and planning and ordering the recharging of the vehicles.

[0027] Thus, the roles of the first and second units are specialized. Incidentally, it is thus possible to specialize the functions to optimize the electronic cards, particularly concerning the thermal management of the power modules and the control or signal cards.

[0028] The present invention also relates to a method implemented in a recharging installation for recharging electric vehicles comprising a field of photovoltaic cells and / or a wind farm, forming renewable energy sources, a generator, an energy buffer storage device, a plurality of recharging terminals for recharging vehicles present, each of the vehicles present being connected to a recharging terminal, the installation being connected to a general electricity supply network, the method comprising: - a step of estimation or reception from each of the vehicles, of a future departure time stamp (Hd(i)) and of a current charge level SOC(i), at least for the vehicles present, - a step of identifying one or more priority vehicles from among the plurality of vehicles present based on their future departure timestamp and their respective current charge level, - a step of recharging the priority vehicle(s) using the following energies in a predetermined order of preference: solar energy supplied by the photovoltaic cells, wind energy supplied by the wind turbines, energy stored in the buffer storage device, energy on board the vehicles present other than the priority vehicles, energy from the general electricity supply network, and if these energies are not available in sufficient cumulative quantity then starting the generator set and directing an output of the generator set to the recharging terminal(s) to which the priority vehicle(s) are connected.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the vehicles present transmit to their respective charging terminal the time remaining before complete charging, and said time remaining before complete charging is used in the identification of priority vehicles.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the predetermined order of preference is: first the renewable energy sources, then the energy from the buffer storage device, then finally the energy on board the vehicles present other than the priority vehicles.

[0031] According to one embodiment, it is provided that: - when the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is greater than the power required to charge priority vehicles, then this power is used to charge priority vehicles and to recharge the buffer storage device, - when the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is less than the power required to charge priority vehicles, then the charging of priority vehicles from the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is supplemented by a draw from the buffer storage device, - when the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is less than the power required to charge priority vehicles and the current state of charge of the buffer storage device is insufficient, then the charging of priority vehicles from the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is further supplemented by an energy draw from one or more vehicle(s) present but not priority, - when the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is less than the power requirement for charging priority vehicles and the current state of charge of the buffer storage device is insufficient, and the energy draw from one or more vehicle(s) present but not priority is in sufficient, then power the management device from the general power supply network, - when an instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is less than the power requirement for charging priority vehicles and the current state of charge of the buffer storage device is insufficient, and the energy draw from one or more vehicle(s) present but not priority is insufficient, and the general electricity supply network is not available, then the generator set is started and then the charging of priority vehicles from the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is further supplemented by power delivered by the generator set.

[0032] Advantageously, the proposed method is recurrent, the determination of the priority vehicle(s) is carried out cyclically, the planning is carried out, the power demand is carried out, and then the arbitration is carried out in relation to the predetermined order of preference.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the charging terminals are configured to, in cooperation with a charging manager on board a present vehicle, draw electrical energy from a present but non-priority vehicle for another priority vehicle.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the step of identifying one or more priority vehicles comprises a calculation of a priority index for each of the vehicles present, the vehicles being classified according to said priority index and the priority vehicles are defined as those whose index is greater than a predetermined threshold.

[0035] According to a particular option, one or more vehicles not present but expected shortly at the installation in question are included in the list of vehicles considered.

[0036] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: [Fig.l] is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of an installation according to the present invention, [Fig.2] represents an example of a planning and prioritization table, [Fig.3] is a partial schematic representation of an example of the installation. [Fig.4] represents an example of a timing diagram illustrating the operation of the installation system. [Fig.5] is a schematic representation of a flowchart illustrating the operation.

[0037] Installation - Overview A recharging installation 100 for recharging electric vehicles 7 is now described with reference to the figures. Each vehicle is equipped with a main battery 71, a charge manager 74 and a connection socket 72 for recharging.

[0038] In this document, these are electric vehicles with electric propulsion or traction, for example 100% electric vehicles (zero emissions) or rechargeable hybrid vehicles.

[0039] These may be four-wheeled vehicles, private vehicles, utility vehicles, company fleet vehicles, rental vehicles, vans. They may also be heavy goods vehicles, without excluding small urban vehicles with four wheels or less, such as electric motorcycles, or even snowmobiles, electric jet skis.

[0040] In this case, the installation is not connected to an electrical supply network, in other words it is not connected to a general electrical network.

[0041] This type of installation can be found, for example, along a road crossing the Australian Outback where the general electricity network is non-existent. More generally, very sparsely populated areas may correspond to the configuration of having to install such an installation without the presence of a general electricity supply network.

[0042] The term “battery” should generally be understood here to mean any electrical energy storage system regardless of the electrochemical type of the cells, without excluding the possible presence of supercapacitors. This definition applies both to stationary buffer storage electric batteries in the installation and to batteries located on board vehicles 7.

[0043] The installation 100 comprises a field of photovoltaic cells marked 1, also sometimes called a “solar farm”. A control cabinet 16 manages the various photovoltaic panels, their orientation if they are mobile, and ensures electrical protection as known per se and not detailed here. The control cabinet 16 delivers a power output to a management device marked 10.

[0044] The installation comprises a wind farm marked 2 comprising one or more wind turbines. One or more control cabinets 26 manage the various wind turbine motors, their azimuthal orientation, and provide electrical protection as known per se and not detailed here. The control cabinet 26 delivers a power output to the management device.

[0045] Optionally, the installation may comprise a fuel cell generator marked 3. This generator 3 is powered by one or more hydrogen tanks 30. The hydrogen in question may have been produced using renewable energies, in whole or in part.

[0046] The installation 100 comprises a connection to a general electricity supply network 14. The general electricity supply network provides a nominal voltage in alternating current, the branch which supplies the installation is generally sized to be able to provide the majority of the power requirement for recharging a certain number of vehicles present at the recharging station. In the context of the present invention, it is sought to minimize the use of the general electricity supply network whose carbon footprint is not known to the installation. It is sought to favor energy produced locally, in particular by renewable sources in the vicinity.

[0047] As will be seen in [Fig.4], the network is sometimes available (RON reference) but sometimes the network is unavailable (ROFF reference).

[0048] Returning to [Fig.l], the installation 100 comprises a generator set marked 4. This is a conventional generator set based on a diesel or gasoline internal combustion engine. This generator set is powered by one or more hydrocarbon tanks. The hydrocarbons in question may be fossil fuels or synthetic or biomass hydrocarbons.

[0049] The installation comprises an energy buffer storage device marked 5. In the example illustrated, this is a set of electric batteries, for example of the type comprising electrochemical cells. The storage capacity of this set of batteries can reach several hundred kWh and can be sized according to the number of charging stations present in the installation.

[0050] The battery assembly may be equipped with a monitoring device 50 that collects one or more temperatures as well as one or more voltage or voltage drop measurements. The monitoring device 50 may calculate the state of charge itself or provide the information for the management device located to calculate the state of charge of the energy buffer storage 5.

[0051] For example, you can choose lithium-ion technology batteries or lead-acid batteries.

[0052] According to an alternative embodiment, the energy buffer storage device may be formed as a kinetic flywheel, in which case the energy is stored in kinetic form. It is also not excluded to use another principle of energy storage, for example the elevation of a weight or a volume of water, in which case the energy is stored in the form of potential energy of the Earth's gravitational field.

[0053] The installation 100 comprises a plurality of charging terminals marked 6. In the example illustrated, three charging terminals are shown but in practice there may be a much larger number of charging terminals. The terminals provide at least a so-called standard recharge, i.e. a power of around twenty kilowatts. Certain other specific terminals may also provide a so-called rapid recharge, ie with a power of 200 kilowatts or more.

[0054] As known per se, one of the functions of the terminal is to be able to deliver electrical energy to the connected vehicle, more precisely to a charge controller 74 which manages the battery 71, in particular its recharging.

[0055] But in particular, all or part of the terminals 6 of the installation have the ability to draw electrical energy from the connected vehicle, in the opposite direction to the usual charging direction.

[0056] For this purpose, the charge controller 74 on board the vehicle communicates with the charging terminal 6 to exchange information and in particular to receive the operating mode to be adopted, namely charging or sampling. The use of the particular sampling mode will be seen later.

[0057] The management device 10 comprises a first management unit 8, which has the role of managing the production and storage of electrical energy. The first management unit 8 is an electrical / electronic unit and comprises various electrical energy switching and conversion functions, by implementing various DC / DC conversion blocks, inverter blocks and / or rectifier blocks.

[0058] The management device 10 comprises a second management unit 9, which has the role of managing energy levels on board the vehicles, of planning the recharging of the vehicles, and of giving the corresponding orders to the different recharging terminals 6.

[0059] The second management unit 9 is an electrical / electronic unit and may comprise, depending on the functional and material distribution between the two management units, power switches, relays, inverter blocks and / or rectifier blocks, DC / DC converters.

[0060] The second management unit 9 continuously indicates the power requirement to the first management unit 8, which notes the supply of wind and solar energy, monitors the filling rate of the buffer storage device and can, if necessary, control the start-up of the generator set 4 as will be seen later.

[0061] A power connection 11 is provided to deliver electrical power from the first management unit 8 to the second management unit 9 which will use it to power the charging terminals. The power connection 11 may for example be a connection with two large direct current conductors, for example under 1000 volts or even 1.5 kV.

[0062] It should be noted that the two management units 8,9 could be grouped into a single unit 10 as illustrated in mixed line in [Fig.3].

[0063] The first management unit 8 receives on its input 81 the electrical energy supplied by the field of photovoltaic cells 1, in the form of a direct current at variable voltage. The first management unit 8 receives on its input 82 the electrical energy supplied by the wind farm 2, for example in the form of an alternating current at variable voltage. variable. The first management unit 8 receives on its input 83 the electrical energy supplied by the fuel cell 3, in the form of a direct current at variable voltage. The first management unit 8 receives on its input 86 electrical energy from the general electrical supply network 14, in the form of an alternating current at a nominal voltage. The first management unit 8 receives on its input 84 the electrical energy supplied by the generator set 4, in the form of an alternating current.

[0064] The first management unit 8 controls the operational voltage on its input / output 85 to selectively recharge the buffer battery 5 or conversely draw energy from the buffer battery 5.

[0065] As can be seen in [Fig. 3], information exchanges are provided between the first management unit and the second management unit. In particular, via the link 12, the second management unit expresses the instantaneous power requirement as well as the planned short-term requirement. In particular, via the link 13, the first unit expresses the current availability of the energy sources as well as the short-term production forecasts.

[0066] The second management unit 9 transmits to each charging station 6 via the link 62 the desired operating mode, e.g. charging, collection, waiting with respect to the vehicle connected to it. Each charging station 6 transmits to the second management unit 9 the current state of charge SOC(i) of the main battery of the connected vehicle, where appropriate the expected departure time stamp Hd(i) and the necessary charging time TRC. Each charging station 6 also transmits to the second management unit 9 the connection mode established with the vehicle and the vehicle's capacity to absorb a rapid charge.

[0067] System Operation

[0068] A vehicle 7 that needs to be recharged must be connected to a charging terminal 6 by means of a charging socket 72. Furthermore, the information concerning the time stamp of the future use of said vehicle by its user must be indicated to the installation, either by the vehicle itself, or by the driver who indicates it via a smartphone application.

[0069] If the future departure timestamp Hd(i) is not received from the vehicle, then it is estimated by the second management unit 9 by assuming that the vehicle will remain in contact with the charging station for a predefined time, for example X hours. The future departure timestamp Hd(i) is then assumed to be equal to the arrival time of the vehicle to which X hours are added.

[0070] In the example illustrated, the vehicles 7 are identified by an index i, namely Vhl, Vh2, ... Vhi,.. up to VhN. The timestamp of the future use is noted Hd(i) for each vehicle Vhi. The second management unit 9 receives, for each vehicle, the timestamp of future use, either directly via the charging cable or via a wireless connection.

[0071] As seen in [Fig.2], in the illustrated example, the first vehicle Vhl has indicated as departure timestamp Hd(l) April 16, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. The second vehicle Vh2 has indicated as departure timestamp Hd(2) April 17, 2023 at 8 a.m. The third vehicle Vh3 has indicated as departure timestamp Hd(3) April 16, 2023 at 8:11 p.m.

[0072] Each vehicle 7 also communicates to the second management unit 9, via its respective charging terminal or by wireless link, the current state of charge of its main battery, i.e. with the notation SOC(i) for each vehicle Vhi.

[0073] Optionally, the vehicles present 7 transmit to their respective charging terminal the time remaining before complete charging TRC, and the charging terminal 6 transmits said time remaining before complete charging TRC to the second management unit 9.

[0074] As a result, the second management unit can establish a table of vehicles and their characteristics of interest, as illustrated in [Fig.2].

[0075] From this, the second management unit 9 carries out a planning calculation. Starting from each departure timestamp of a vehicle Hd(i), and the time required to recharge this vehicle (either known directly by the variable TRC, or estimated a little more roughly), the second management unit 9 calculates the latest time at which the recharging of the vehicle i must start so that it is fully charged at the time corresponding to the departure timestamp Hd(i). Here we are talking about standard recharging at a power of 20 kilowatts.

[0076] This planning calculation makes it possible to identify so-called priority vehicles, i.e. those whose recharging must be done as a priority.

[0077] More specifically, according to one embodiment, the identification of priority vehicles can be done with the help of a priority index calculation.

[0078] According to an example, a priority index is defined from 0 to 10. With reference to the example in [Fig.2], assuming that it is April 16, 2023 at 10:00, the first Vhl vehicle must leave at 4:30 p.m. on the same day. With a necessary recharging time of 3:30, this vehicle has the highest priority; the index calculation gave 6, because there is still some freedom on the timing (3 hours).

[0079] Conversely, vehicle number 2, Vh2, is not due to leave until the next day, namely April 17, 2023 at 8 a.m. In addition, its state of charge is already 75%, so there is a little over an hour (1h 12) left to charge it to 100% and almost 24 hours to carry out this recharge, which can also be done at night; its priority index is very low here, e.g. 0.8.

[0080] In the case of the Neme VhN vehicle, it must leave the installation on the evening of April 16 at 8:45 p.m., its state of charge is only 22% and it takes 4 hours and 25 minutes to recharge it to 100%. According to the chosen metric, its priority index is 3 (10 hours and 45 minutes left to fully recharge).

[0081] The index calculation therefore gives a result between 0 (a lot of time remaining to recharge) and 10 (critical path to recharge before departure, no margin available).

[0082] To identify the vehicles that will be qualified as priority, one can for example choose to select the vehicles whose priority index is greater than 5. According to another example, one can choose a single vehicle, namely the one that has the highest priority index.

[0083] In all cases, the second management unit 9 establishes a hierarchy between the different vehicles present. It can also further take into account a vehicle which will arrive shortly and which has announced itself as having priority, by announcing its arrival time at the installation and its desired departure time after recharging.

[0084] As already indicated above, the second management unit announces to the first management unit the desired electrical power (instantaneous or short term) according to the calculated schedule. The first management unit 8 strives to meet this need by prioritizing renewable energy sources, namely solar and wind. The first management unit 8 also has at its disposal secondly: the generator set, the buffer storage batteries and optionally the fuel cell generator.

[0085] The first management unit 8 manages a predetermined order of preference as a parameter setting. According to the present invention, the predetermined order of preference is: first the renewable energy sources (wind and / or solar), then the energy from the buffer storage device, then the energy on board the vehicles present other than priority vehicles, then finally the generator set 4.

[0086] In the case where the fuel cell generator 3 is present, its priority level is for example positioned at the same level as the buffer storage rate device 5.

[0087] Turning now to [Fig.5], block 91 represents the establishment of the table of present vehicles with the recovered characteristics concerning the future departure time stamp Hd(i), the current state of charge SOC(i), and where appropriate the remaining charging time TRC. Block 92 represents the identification of priority vehicles by index calculation or by another method. Block 93 represents the indication of the instantaneous and future power requirement.

[0088] The diamonds marked 94, 95, 96, 99, 97 represent decision steps related to the order of preference of the energy sources. In block 94, the instantaneous supply of renewable sources is compared with the power requirement; if this is insufficient, in In block 95, a comparison is made by adding the power that can be drawn from the buffer storage battery; if this is still insufficient, in block 96, a comparison is made by evaluating what power or energy can be drawn from one of the vehicles present but not having priority; if this is still insufficient, in block 99, a check is made as to whether the general power supply network is available or not; and if this is still insufficient, in block 97, the possibility of using the generator is evaluated.

[0089] If the field of photovoltaic cells 1 or the wind farm 2 provides enough power at time t to meet the need established by the second management unit, then everything is fine (output 94a of the flowchart), and the power is directly used for recharging the priority vehicle.

[0090] The surplus power is then used to recharge the buffer batteries or if these are already fully charged, the first management unit limits the available power or suggests to the second management unit to anticipate the recharging of a non-priority vehicle.

[0091] If the power available from the renewable energy sources is less than the instantaneous requirement, then the first management unit draws energy from the buffer batteries 5 to supplement the power and meet the power requirement of the second management unit (output 95a of the logic diagram).

[0092] Optionally, if present, fuel cell generator 3 can be called upon at the same priority level.

[0093] If it turns out that the buffer batteries cannot fulfill this role because they are not sufficiently charged, then the method plans to draw energy from one or more non-priority vehicles present on the installation (output 96a of the flowchart).

[0094] This scenario is illustrated in particular in [Fig. 3], where the first vehicle Vhl is being recharged while the terminal connected to the second vehicle draws energy from the second vehicle Vh2 (discharge mode). It is noted that in this phase, it is the second management unit 9 which transfers the energy from one vehicle to the other, the first management unit 8 exchanging with the second management unit only information about the implementation of the order of preference of the energy sources.

[0095] Returning to [Fig.5], the following test 99 checks the availability of supply on the general electricity supply network 14, and if this is the case, the branch 99a leads to supplying the first management unit 8 from the general electricity supply network 14.

[0096] If the general electricity supply network is not available, after positive verification of the availability of the generator set (97a), block 98 illustrates the start-up of the generator set 4. As illustrated by the dotted line, the process is recurrent and is repeated periodically.

[0097] Turning to [Fig.4], the lowest curve of [Fig.4] illustrates the production of energy by renewable energy sources (wind and / or solar, noted '1+2'), this production is intermittent by nature. Between time T0 and time T1, and between time T2 and time T5, the energy produced is used to recharge the buffer batteries 5 (third curve from the bottom 'Batt 5'). Between T1 and T2, the production from renewable sources is zero, for example at night without wind.

[0098] The vehicle Vhl arrives at time T3 and is declared as a priority; it will be recharged between time T4 and time T8.

[0099] Between times T4 and T5, the recharging power is provided by the sum of the decreasing renewable power and a draw from the buffer batteries. Between times T5 and T6, the power only comes from the draw from the buffer battery 5 because the renewable energy source no longer produces energy.

[0100] At time T6, energy is stopped from being drawn from the buffer battery 5 and energy is drawn from the second vehicle Vh2. It is noted that from time T6 to time T7, the state of charge SOC(2) of Vh2 decreases. At time T7, the state of charge SOC(2) of Vh2 falls below a threshold and energy is stopped from being drawn from the battery of the vehicle Vh2.

[0101] To continue charging the vehicle Vhl, the electrical supply network 14 is called upon at time T7. But, at time T8, the general electrical supply network becomes unavailable (ROFF).

[0102] To finish recharging the vehicle, we come to the last resort measure, namely the start of generator set 4 (top curve, noted 'Gen 4') at time T8 and the production of electrical energy from generator set 4 to finish recharging the first vehicle.

[0103] At time TK, the state of charge SOC(l) of the first vehicle Vhl reaches 100%, and the generator set 4 can be stopped.

[0104] The first vehicle Vhl leaves the installation at time T9. Then, at time TA, a new renewable energy production cycle starts which continues until time TE. The energy produced is initially used to recharge the buffer batteries 5 (from TA to TB) and then partly to also recharge the second vehicle Vh2 (from TB to TC). Between times TC and TD, the energy produced is also used to recharge the second vehicle Vh2. At time TF, the second vehicle Vh2 leaves the installation fully charged, i.e. SOC(2) at 100%. The temporary withdrawal of energy from its battery has not handicapped its use or its user.

[0105] It is understood that the greater the number of vehicles present, the greater the flexibility to use some of them temporarily as energy buffer storage.

Claims

Claims

1. Charging installation for charging electric vehicles comprising: - a field of photovoltaic cells (1) and / or a wind farm (2), forming renewable energy sources, - a generator (4), - an energy buffer storage device, - a plurality of charging stations (6) for charging existing vehicles, each of the existing vehicles (7) being connected to a charging station, - a management device (10), for managing the production and storage of electrical energy, managing energy levels on board the vehicles, and planning and ordering the recharging of the vehicles, the installation being connected to a general electrical supply network (14), characterized in that the management device (10) is configured to: - receive from each of the vehicles, or estimate, a future departure time stamp (Hd(i)) and a current charge level SOC(i), at least for the vehicles present, - identify one or more priority vehicles from among the plurality of vehicles present based on their future departure timestamp and their respective current charge level, - recharging the priority vehicle(s) using the following energies in a predetermined order of preference: solar energy supplied by the photovoltaic cells, wind energy supplied by the wind turbines, energy stored in the energy buffer storage device, energy on board the vehicles present other than the priority vehicles, energy from the general electricity supply network, and if these energies are not available in sufficient cumulative quantity, then the management device is configured to start the generator set and an output from the generator set is directed to the charging station(s) to which the priority vehicle(s) are connected.

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined order of preference is: first the renewable energy sources, then the energy from the buffer storage device, then the energy on board the vehicles present other than priority vehicles, then finally energy from the general electricity supply network.

3. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the vehicles present transmit to their respective charging terminal the time remaining before complete charging, and the charging terminal transmits said time remaining before complete charging to the management device.

4. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a fuel cell generator (3), and the predetermined order of preference is then: first the renewable energy sources, then the energy supplied by the fuel cell or the energy from the buffer storage device, then the energy on board the vehicles present other than priority vehicles, then finally the energy from the general electricity supply network.

5. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the charging terminals (6) are configured to, in cooperation with a charge manager (74) on board a vehicle present, take electrical energy from a vehicle present but not a priority intended for the management device.

6. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the management device (10) comprises a first management unit (8), for managing the production and storage of electrical energy, and a second management unit (9), for managing energy levels on board the vehicles, and planning and ordering the recharging of the vehicles.

7. Method implemented in a charging installation for charging electric vehicles comprising: - a field of photovoltaic cells (1) and / or a wind farm (2), forming renewable energy sources, - a generator (4), - an energy buffer storage device (5), - a plurality of charging terminals (6) for charging vehicles present, each of the vehicles present (7) being connected to a charging terminal, the installation being connected to a general electricity supply network (14), the method comprising: - a step of estimating or receiving from each of the vehicles, a future departure timestamp (Hd(i)) and a current charge level SOC(i), at least for the vehicles present, - a step of identifying one or more priority vehicles from among the plurality of vehicles present according to their future departure timestamp and their respective current charge level, - a step of recharging the priority vehicle(s) using, in a predetermined order of preference, the following energies: solar energy supplied by the photovoltaic cells, wind energy supplied by the wind turbines, energy stored in the buffer storage device, energy on board the vehicles present other than priority vehicles, energy from the general electricity supply network, and if these energies are not available in sufficient cumulative quantity, then starting the generator set and directing an output of the generator set to the charging terminal(s) to which the priority vehicle(s) are connected.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the vehicles present transmit to their respective charging station the time remaining before complete charging, and said time remaining before complete charging is used in the identification of priority vehicles.

9. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 8, characterized in that the predetermined order of preference is: first the renewable energy sources, then the energy from the buffer storage device, then finally the energy on board the vehicles present other than priority vehicles.

10. Method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that it is provided that: - when an instantaneous power available on the renewable energy sources is greater than the power requirement for charging the priority vehicles, then this power is used to charge the priority vehicles and to recharge the buffer storage device, - when an instantaneous power available on the renewable energy sources is less than the power requirement for charging the priority vehicles, then the charging of the priority vehicles from the instantaneous power available on the renewable energy sources is supplemented by a draw from the buffer storage device, - when an instantaneous power available on the renewable energy sources is less than the power requirement for charging the priority vehicles and the current state of charge of the buffer storage device is insufficient,then the charge of priority vehicles from the instantaneous power available on the sources, renewable energy is further supplemented by energy collection from one or more vehicle(s) present but not having priority, - when the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is less than the power required to charge priority vehicles and the current state of charge of the buffer storage device is insufficient, and the energy draw from one or more vehicle(s) present but not priority is insufficient, then supply the management device from the general electricity supply network, - when an instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is less than the power requirement for charging priority vehicles and the current state of charge of the buffer storage device is insufficient, and the energy draw from one or more vehicle(s) present but not priority is insufficient, and the general electricity supply network is not available, then the generator set is started and then the charging of priority vehicles from the instantaneous power available from renewable energy sources is further supplemented by power delivered by the generator set.

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