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Energy is energy but being smart with it is about using it well and so we continuously develop and innovate in everything related to energy. We don’t just look at energy management in relation to an individual charging station, we look at it over multiple interconnected chargers to deliver Smart Charging Network functionality, for example, to effectively manage energy in a charging plaza to limit grid impact. The smart functionality we offer will always continuously be extended.
Being adaptable is about developing chargers that fit anywhere whether it be technological, geographical or regulatory market needs. There may also be physical considerations, for example, a need for lamp post or other mounting options and we have customers who have wanted to add their brands to, or adapt the colours of our charging station casing. Whatever it is, we are always open to new ideas and initiatives and can innovate to solve specific challenges.
Digitalisation and data management are playing an important role in all industries as devices are increasingly connected and must communicate. This also applies to our smart charging stations. Our innovation in this area is also continuous to ensure that our charging stations can be connected, work effectively and be remotely supported, not just within our own Smart Charging Networks, but also with third party energy management systems or home hubs as part of the internet of things.
Adaptable
Connected
An expanding EV charging network is essential to encourage adoption of EVs and so we aim to develop and deliver the best product available with the end user in mind. Alfen sells its products through a network of resellers and partners and, although we have no direct contact with the end user, we know what we must offer them - a simple, intuitive solution that is robust and reliable. Our success relies on end users’ successful charging sessions to create a positive experience with our brand.
Our resellers are not just ticking boxes, they typically hold and maintain the relationship with the end users and add value in the chain by providing customer support, whether it’s related to product choice, installation, use or service. As a result, it is vital for us to maintain collaborative, long-term relationships with our resellers so that, together, we can ensure that the entire journey is right for everyone involved with our products and we leave no stone unturned when striving for perfection. Naturally, technical excellence and elegant, robust products are essential, but we also look at every step in detail from unboxing, to installation, customer interfacing and, importantly, because this is such a dynamic market, we ensure that all our products are as smart and futureproof as possible.
While Alfen has Dutch roots, we have been fully aware that we were the new kid on the block when we arrived in other countries and so we have been working hard to prove ourselves. Geographically speaking, one size does not fit all. There are nuances between the country markets and their customer needs, rules and customs and it is vital to understand all of these to optimise our product, the customer experience and therefore extend our success. Good examples of this are that our products currently support 10 languages, future integration possibilities with many different local payment solutions and that we were one of the first manufacturers to receive certification in the German market for its Eichrecht law, which mandates transparent kWh pricing so that users of charging facilities can be confident that they have received the energy they have paid for.
While countries do differ, standardisation in the EV world is already more advanced than many people realise. As a founding member of the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), open standards have always been a core product development principle for us. On top of that, our development pipeline contains rigorous feedback loops so we have a broad and deep understanding of all charging segments in the European markets and we use this to inform our development roadmap on an ongoing basis.
There are a range of parameters to consider when it comes to anticipating the future of EV charging, many which we can’t predict. Our experience of innovating by developing smart functionality based on open standards has served us well and positioned us as an agile partner of choice for all types of cutting-edge projects and forward thinking businesses. It has also given us a very thorough understanding of the whole market so we can innovate for any market changes, whether these are related to technical, regulatory or safety requirements etc.
Personally, I find thinking about future possibilities really exciting. Imagine, for example, if a future Alfen charging station could further facilitate data communication between a car and the grid.
The selling of energy is still very much a right exclusively available to energy companies. I expect there will be more freedom at some point in the future though. For example, it’s fairly easy to imagine that, as a private individual, you might be able to store and directly sell the excess energy from, for example, the solar panels on your house to your neighbour - peer-to-peer charging.
Another future consideration might be that EV owners stop paying for their charged kWh’s. Renewable energy is essentially a ‘free’ resource and very windy periods are already increasingly resulting in negative pricing in wholesale markets. Smart charging could potentially result in earning money instead of paying for your fuel. Our focus is on providing the best open and adaptable technological solutions, that enable any smart EV business model.
Innovating the future
Jeroen Pynenburg
Business Unit Director
Alfen Charging Equipment
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“ Geographically speaking, one size does not fit all. There are nuances between
the country markets ”
I am a business economist with a technical heart. About 10 years ago I decided to focus my career on charging for electric cars and immediately started driving one of the first Nissan Leafs in The Netherlands. In early 2022, I hope to reach the 400.000 km milestone behind the wheel of an electric car. I joined a start-up company that specialised in developing and supplying DC fast chargers. Through acquisition, we became part of a multinational where I was responsible for the worldwide service & delivery activities and, from 2014 to 2018, set up the Chinese EV charging business out of ShenZhen. Living and working in China convinced me of the need and scope for electric cars as the future mobility solution.
In December 2019, I became part of the Alfen Charging Equipment team. In my role as Business Unit Director, I help to build and deliver state of the art charging solutions that are ‘Smart, Adaptable, and Connected’ for the ever-expanding global EV charging market.
Connected
Adaptable
Energy is energy but being smart with it is about using it well and so we continuously develop and innovate in everything related to energy. We don’t just look at energy management in relation to an individual charging station, we look at it over multiple interconnected chargers to deliver Smart Charging Network functionality, for example, to effectively manage energy in a charging plaza to limit grid impact. The smart functionality we offer will always continuously be extended.
Being adaptable is about developing chargers that fit anywhere whether it be technological, geographical or regulatory market needs. There may also be physical considerations, for example, a need for lamp post or other mounting options and we have customers who have wanted to add their brands to, or adapt the colours of our charging station casing. Whatever it is, we are always open to new ideas and initiatives and can innovate to solve specific challenges.
Digitalisation and data management are playing an important role in all industries as devices are increasingly connected and must communicate. This also applies to our smart charging stations. Our innovation in this area is also continuous to ensure that our charging stations can be connected, work effectively and be remotely supported, not just within our own Smart Charging Networks, but also with third party energy management systems or home hubs as part of the internet of things.
Go to next article
Go back
There are a range of parameters to consider when it comes to anticipating the future of EV charging, many which we can’t predict. Our experience of innovating by developing smart functionality based on open standards has served us well and positioned us as an agile partner of choice for all types of cutting-edge projects and forward thinking businesses. It has also given us a very thorough understanding of the whole market so we can innovate for any market changes, whether these are related to technical, regulatory or safety requirements etc.
Personally, I find thinking about future possibilities really exciting. Imagine, for example, if a future Alfen charging station could further facilitate data communication between a car and the grid.
The selling of energy is still very much a right exclusively available to energy companies. I expect there will be more freedom at some point in the future though. For example, it’s fairly easy to imagine that, as a private individual, you might be able to store and directly sell the excess energy from, for example, the solar panels on your house to your neighbour - peer-to-peer charging.
Another future consideration might be that EV owners stop paying for their charged kWh’s. Renewable energy is essentially a ‘free’ resource and very windy periods are already increasingly resulting in negative pricing in wholesale markets. Smart charging could potentially result in earning money instead of paying for your fuel. Our focus is on providing the best open and adaptable technological solutions, that enable any smart EV business model.
Innovating the future
While Alfen has Dutch roots, we have been fully aware that we were the new kid on the block when we arrived in other countries and so we have been working hard to prove ourselves. Geographically speaking, one size does not fit all. There are nuances between the country markets and their customer needs, rules and customs and it is vital to understand all of these to optimise our product, the customer experience and therefore extend our success. Good examples of this are that our products currently support 10 languages, future integration possibilities with many different local payment solutions and that we were one of the first manufacturers to receive certification in the German market for its Eichrecht law, which mandates transparent kWh pricing so that users of charging facilities can be confident that they have received the energy they have paid for.
While countries do differ, standardisation in the EV world is already more advanced than many people realise. As a founding member of the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), open standards have always been a core product development principle for us. On top of that, our development pipeline contains rigorous feedback loops so we have a broad and deep understanding of all charging segments in the European markets and we use this to inform our development roadmap on an ongoing basis.
“ Geographically speaking, one size does not fit all. There are nuances between
the country markets ”
An expanding EV charging network is essential to encourage adoption of EVs and so we aim to develop and deliver the best product available with the end user in mind. Alfen sells its products through a network of resellers and partners and, although we have no direct contact with the end user, we know what we must offer them - a simple, intuitive solution that is robust and reliable. Our success relies on end users’ successful charging sessions to create a positive experience with our brand.
Our resellers are not just ticking boxes, they typically hold and maintain the relationship with the end users and add value in the chain by providing customer support, whether it’s related to product choice, installation, use or service. As a result, it is vital for us to maintain collaborative, long-term relationships with our resellers so that, together, we can ensure that the entire journey is right for everyone involved with our products and we leave no stone unturned when striving for perfection. Naturally, technical excellence and elegant, robust products are essential, but we also look at every step in detail from unboxing, to installation, customer interfacing and, importantly, because this is such a dynamic market, we ensure that all our products are as smart and futureproof as possible.
Jeroen Pynenburg
Business Unit Director
Alfen Charging Equipment
I am a business economist with a technical heart. About 10 years ago I decided to focus my career on charging for electric cars and immediately started driving one of the first Nissan Leafs in The Netherlands. In early 2022, I hope to reach the 400.000 km milestone behind the wheel of an electric car. I joined a start-up company that specialised in developing and supplying DC fast chargers. Through acquisition, we became part of a multinational where I was responsible for the worldwide service & delivery activities and, from 2014 to 2018, set up the Chinese EV charging business out of ShenZhen. Living and working in China convinced me of the need and scope for electric cars as the future mobility solution.
In December 2019, I became part of the Alfen Charging Equipment team. In my role as Business Unit Director, I help to build and deliver state of the art charging solutions that are ‘Smart, Adaptable, and Connected’ for the ever-expanding global EV charging market.
with innovation
