Smart Charging: Polestar brings Octopus’s SmartOctopus incentives to Italy
Polestar Energy is bringing Octopus Energy’s incentives for smart home charging to Italy as well. Intelligent Octopus can help save up to 30% on the energy cost in electricity bills. The system also allows charging to be scheduled directly from the car, eliminating the need for a dedicated home wallbox.
Car charging as a resource for the grid
Polestar’s announcement focuses on the evolution of smart home charging, which is now seen not just as a service to power cars but also as a potential resource for better managing electricity demand.
Electric grids: The EU could save 10.6 billion through smart charging
Polestar Energy, available from the end of 2024 and reaching 12 European markets by mid-2025, combines smart charging with integration into home solar installations. Now, through a partnership with Octopus Energy, the service adds incentives related to contributing to grid stability in Germany, France, Spain, and Italy.
The principle behind it is demand flexibility: the car can automatically delay or advance charging based on grid conditions and electricity costs, without changing when the owner needs to use the vehicle.
Up to 30% lower energy cost
For Italian customers, the offer comes with a specific condition. Those who use Polestar Energy and have an energy contract with Octopus Energy can enjoy up to a 30% reduction on the energy cost portion of their bill through Intelligent Octopus’ smart and automated charging.
This is therefore a benefit that applies not to all Polestar owners indiscriminately; both enrollment in the service and a compatible energy supply are required.
The grid incentives introduce an interesting mechanism for home electrification. The owner provides some of the flexibility from their car, allowing the system to adjust charging times when it is most beneficial for the grid, in exchange for financial savings.
Polestar 2 and 4 can manage charging
The other new development relates to the technical operation of the service. Polestar has introduced smart charging managed directly by the vehicle for Polestar 2 and Polestar 4, via the Polestar Energy app.
The driver simply needs to specify the intended departure time and desired charge level. The system then decides when to charge, seeking the most favorable conditions.
This has significant implications for home charging infrastructure: there is no longer a need to have a dedicated home charger integrated with the Polestar Energy system to use this feature.
Solar power and smart charging together
Polestar Energy also maintains integration with home solar panels, allowing charging to be coordinated with the household’s solar production.
The goal is to increase self-consumption of energy generated by the system, while dynamic charging management can help shift usage to cheaper times or periods when renewable electricity is more available.
The service is currently available, in various configurations, in eight European markets, including Italy. The Polestar Energy app can be downloaded for free in the relevant markets.
For customers, the key benefit is the ability to turn the car’s battery into a flexible and programmable load, reducing charging costs without the need to manually adjust settings every day.
READ ALSO: Octopus and the costly energy crisis: an energy system in need of overhaul, plus watch the VIDEO
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