“Energy management is one of the key smart features of Blink charging stations. By combining Cisco’s Home Energy Management solution with our Blink Network charger interface, consumers will now be able to monitor and control their energy use—including EV charging—at home and on the road,” said Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality. “The Blink interface communicates directly with utilities to determine off-peak and low-cost charging times, and allows consumers to maximize energy usage and reduce costs. Together with Cisco, we are delivering a solution that empowers consumers to adopt renewable energy and promotes energy efficient technology that supports the deployment of the smart grid.”
The Cisco Home Energy Controller (HEC) helps residential customers monitor and control their energy use in the home. An optional set of Cisco compatible, tested peripherals can be wirelessly connected to the HEC in order to provide monitoring and control of energy loads such as HVAC systems, pool pumps, water heaters, appliances, and other devices. The Cisco HEC can be easily controlled from an intuitive touch-screen display. From this controller, Blink Home Charging Station owners will now be able to control and monitor their EV charging.
“Our Home Energy Management Solution is an innovation platform, designed to enable industry leaders to extend their solutions into the home,” said Paul Fulton, General Manager of Cisco’s Prosumer Business Unit. “By integrating Blink with our monitoring and control features as well as our utility cloud services, ECOtality is an ideal partner for proving the concept and maximizing the benefits of energy management in the home.”
The Blink Home Charging Station is classified as a Level 2 (240 volt AC input) charging station. The smart charger is equipped with intelligent cost-saving features that allow consumers to easily charge their EVs safely and securely. The Blink Home Charging Station is equipped with an easy-to-use 7-inch touch screen display where users can control the Blink Network charger interface. With the Cisco HEC, consumers will be able to access the charger interface remotely.
The Blink Network charger interface is the hub where users can receive information about their EV and Blink Home Charging Station including charge status, statistics and history. The Blink interface will also determine which charging times are most cost-effective and promote responsible power consumption. The charger can be programmed to start and stop at any time. Where supported, the charging station’s built-in energy meter will support energy usage data evaluation to further aid with the power management of the charging station, and the user’s home.
ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels.
ECOtality is project manager of The EV Project and will oversee the installation of 15,000 commercial and residential charging stations in 16 cities and major metropolitan areas in six states and the District of Columbia. The project will provide an EV infrastructure to support the deployment of 8,300 EVs. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy through a federal stimulus grant of $114.8 million, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The grants are matched by private investment, bringing the total value of the project to approximately $230 million.
