NovaCHARGE Introduces New Virtual Circuit Technology

NovaCHARGE, a leading provider of utility-grade hardware and software solutions for charging electric vehicles (EVs), today announces the expansion of their cloud power management capabilities. Virtual Circuit Technology (VCT) provides enhanced and sophisticated multi-level power management for utilities, fleets, multi-dwelling units, and any other location with limited available power on open standard OCPP-compliant chargers leveraging ChargeUP, our charging platform management system.

NovaCHARGE’s Virtual Circuit Technology was created after evaluating the market and discovering a discernible gap in effectively managing the power available for EV charging, while controlling the impact on the grid. NovaCHARGE’s Virtual Circuit Technology addresses the need for available power to electric vehicles that are constantly moving and putting an unpredictable load on the existing infrastructure. With VCT, the power demand from the chargers will not exceed the infrastructure’s limitations no matter the time of day, ensuring that no driver is left without a charge and that the infrastructure is not overloaded. 

VCT provides the ability to control and manage power used by vehicles in harmony with the available power across many circuit domains. Specifically, this is designed to allow more vehicles to charge in places with limited power. The real magic in Virtual Circuit Technology is that power may be managed regardless of the placement of the chargers. For example, power can be managed across chargers in vastly different regions, allowing utilities to manage the grid more effectively. With VCT, power can be managed across multiple configurations including: 1) where cars are using a local bank of chargers connected to one panel; 2) where cars are connected across multiple panels in a building; 3) where cars are connected across a campus with a common utility transformer; 4) where cars are connected across utility substation feeders.

"We are very excited to partner with NovaCHARGE to trial VCT," said Eva Reyes, Manager of Lighting and Electrification, Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC). "This can greatly improve our customer's charging experience and continue to put us in the forefront of defining what is possible in this space. We are dedicated to the highest EV charging reliability and this will enhance our ability to manage the grid."

Virtual Circuit Technology automatically distributes power throughout the day to the in-use chargers to manage the load on the existing circuit. This will aid the host in avoiding higher power bills while allowing the utility to better manage the load from EV chargers based on time of use. With VCT, one can install more chargers than the current infrastructure can handle at max utilization while balancing the load across the grid as vehicles enter and leave the charging site. Moreover, VCT may be leveraged to defer an infrastructure upgrade until a later date and budget cycle. 

“NovaCHARGE once again continues to push the boundaries of what was thought possible in power management regarding EV charging” said Oscar Rodriguez, CEO of NovaCHARGE. “With VCT, we are ensuring that more vehicles may charge, and that no EV driver is left stranded due to a lack of infrastructure access. We continue to partner with large utilities, like OUC, on EV charging innovation and are focused on executing our trial of VCT this summer.”  

NovaCHARGE’s ChargeUP charging platform management system is an open standard EV charging cloud solution that pushes the envelope for leading-edge flexibility and features. ChargeUP delivers more information to the driver, while providing a rich user friendly and entertaining driver interface. Additional features now include VCT, reporting capabilities, and access to NovaBOT AI proactive maintenance monitoring for compatible chargers. 

Learn more about Power Management from NovaCHARGE here.