An alliance including 20 energy companies aims to create an energy network for EV charging. Further, the network, called Unified Energy Interface (UEI), will function similarly to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
The Department of Science and Technology recommends UEI as the interoperability standard.
UEI Network Integration
The alliance aims to streamline payment and transaction interoperability within electric vehicle charging networks. Furthermore, it will collaborate with electricity distribution companies (Discoms) to resolve interoperability issues concerning EV charging and grid response.
Member companies such as ChargeZone, Pulse Energy, Kazam, Sheru, Trinity, and Turbo are part of the alliance.
Raj Kumar, Executive Director of Trinity, said, “As the transportation sector shifts towards greater electrification, it’s crucial to ensure that EV drivers can access charging infrastructure easily, regardless of their vehicle’s brand or the charging network.”
Additionally, renowned public policy think tanks and research organizations, including the Rocky Mountain Institute and the World Resources Institute, have joined the alliance in an advisory role.
Moreover, ChargeZone’s chargers are now discoverable and transaction-enabled on the UEI network. Meanwhile, Kazam and Pulse Energy customers can discover, pay, and charge at their chargers using the UEI network.
Projected Growth of the Alliance
The alliance aims to maintain a relevant and flexible protocol, directing technical development and governance to meet market needs.
Reji Pillai, CEO of India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF), said that with UEI, “we could enable peer-to-peer (P2P) payments directly between the peers while the energy wheeling charges for the utility can be levied in the electricity bills by the utility”.
“This is going to unleash a green energy revolution in the country, particularly with 10 million rooftops solar PV systems being rolled out on fast track under the PM Suryoday Yojana,” Pillai added.
The formation of the non-profit alliance intends to support funding for the working group and initial infrastructure expenses.
Alliance members will split the costs equally among themselves. Up to now, the network has processed 1.4GWh of energy transactions. Also, the growth potential is immense, with the expectation of a hundredfold increase as additional B2C apps join the UEI network in July.
