Ormazabal implements grid connection for IONITY technology test centre

As joint venture of the leading car manufacturers, IONITY has opened a modern test centre on a 5,000 square metre site in Unterschleißheim, not far from the company’s headquarters in Munich, Germany at the end of 2021: Here, all components for the operation of the HPC charging points will be tested under realistic operating conditions – including the medium-voltage components for the grid connection and the remote control technology. These come from Ormazabal and were individually tailored to the special requirements of the innovative project.

The transfer station for the connection to the medium-voltage grid had to be designed in such a way that the different systems can be operated simultaneously. It is a mixed system for receiving and feeding for two charging infrastructures that are equipped differently in terms of performance. The station was also equipped with our in-house telecontrol technology. This enables the grid operator to control its incoming switch panels remotely and to receive relevant measured values from the transfer station for general grid operation. The telecontrol technology is divided into two systems: the gateway provided by the grid operator and a customer remote control system from IONITY. The exchange between them takes place via the telecontrol protocol IEC 60870-5-101. Our compact ekor.uct telecontrol unit is used as the customer telecontrol system. It is supplied as a ready-made solution in a rack and includes an independent, uninterruptible power supply that supplies the network operator gateway in addition to its own requirements. The grid operator is connected in a ring configuration, using load-break switch feeder cubicles with remote control capability. The station has an auxiliary transformer with a capacity of 4,600 VA to supply all the equipment and is connected to its own transformer panel with fuse load-break switch. In this way, the supply remains independent of the transformer stations should they be disconnected from the grid.

Our Ormazabal Solutions Team realised the entire technical planning, including the completion of the transfer station, within six months. Alexander Hörig, Manager IONITY Test Site, is satisfied: “Ormazabal was present during the entire project phase and advised us personally. For the various challenges of this special project, we always found solutions together and implemented them successfully. Thanks to Ormazabal’s competent support and the delivery of the turnkey transfer station, we can now concentrate on the core tasks of our test centre.”