The Charge Point Podcast

Episode 49 – Grid Congestion Decoded: What Every CPO Needs to Understand Now

Summary In this episode of the Charge Point Podcast, Christophe sits down with Maarten Staats from Enexis and GridCapacityMaps.eu to unpack one of the most pressing challenges facing EV charging infrastructure today: grid congestion. As EV adoption accelerates across Europe, more Charge Point Operators are encountering limited grid capacity, delayed connection approvals, and uncertainty around available power for new charging sites. Maarten explains how congestion actually works in practice, why the Netherlands is experiencing these issues so early, and what this means for the future deployment of EV charging infrastructure. Which topics do we explore? 🔌 What grid congestion actually means ⚡ The difference between grid congestion and transport scarcity 🗺️ How DSOs calculate and allocate grid capacity 🇳🇱 Why the Netherlands has become an early stress test for electrification 🚧 Why grid reinforcement projects take so much time 📈 How increasing electrification impacts grid planning 🔋 The role of flexible capacity agreements and smarter grid usage 🏗️ What CPOs should understand before planning new charging sites About the guest Maarten Staats works at Enexis, one of the leading Dutch Distribution System Operators (DSOs), and is also the creator of GridCapacityMaps [http://gridcapacitymaps.eu/], a platform helping visualize grid capacity constraints across regions. Resources & Links 🌍 Grid Capacity Maps https://www.gridcapacitymaps.eu [https://www.gridcapacitymaps.eu/] 🔗 Maarten Staats on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartenstaats/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartenstaats/] Continue Listening 👉 Interested in the solution side of the story? Listen to Episode 47 [https://thechargepointpodcast.buzzsprout.com/2382149/episodes/18982490-episode-47-when-ev-charging-hits-the-grid-wall-inside-the-interface-benelux-conference], where we explore batteries, smart energy management, and flexibility solutions for grid-constrained charging sites in the Benelux. Got some feedback or questions? Text us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382149/fan_mail/new] You can get more information on our website [https://www.flexecharge.com/]. Give us some stars please 🌟 If you enjoyed the episode, please give it a 5-stars note and leave us a review. Get in Touch: Do you have suggestions for future guests or topics? Reach out to us at hello@flexecharge.com [hello@flexecharge.com].  Subscribe & Stay Updated: 🔔 Make sure to subscribe to the Charge Point Podcast to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the world of EV charging and energy. 📩 You can subscribe to our Newsletter, The Charge Point Journal, by clicking here [https://www.flexecharge.com/newsletter-sign-up]. 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 And you can follow us on Linkedin by clicking here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexecharge] and connect with Christophe here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clephilibert/]. ⚡ Let’s keep the conversation—and the electrons—flowing.

Episode 48 – Inside Survoltage: A French BSP on Flexibility Markets & EV Charging

🎙️ Episode Overview  In this episode, we dive into one of the most strategic topics for the future of EV charging: flexibility - and the role of BSPs (Balancing Service Providers).  As renewable energy penetration increases, the grid is becoming more volatile - and the ability to adapt consumption in real time is turning into a critical asset.  Together with Jeff Knoepfli, CEO & Founder of Survoltage, we explore how flexibility markets work, how energy assets can be orchestrated, and what it means concretely for charge point operators - across both commercial and residential contexts.    ⚡ What You’ll Learn  * What a Balancing Service Provider actually does  * How flexibility markets work - from a practical, operator perspective  * Why EV charging infrastructure is becoming a key flexibility asset  * The role of aggregation, smart control, and real-time optimisation  * How CPOs can start unlocking new revenue streams from their assets  * How flexibility also applies to B2C use cases, including smart homes and residential energy management  * The growing convergence between B2C, B2B, and EV charging flexibility    🔍 Key Takeaways for CPOs  * Flexibility is moving from “nice-to-have” to a core component of the EV charging business model  * Your charging infrastructure can become a revenue-generating asset, not just a cost center  * You don’t need to go all-in immediately — start with pilots and scale  * Batteries + smart energy management + BSP integration = value stacking opportunity  * The market is evolving fast — early movers will capture the most value    🔗 Related Episode  If you want to go deeper into how flexibility is already deployed at scale in the Nordics, listen to:  👉 Episode 37 – with My Näslund (Flower)    👤 About the Guest  Jeff Knoepfli is the CEO & Founder of Survoltage, a French company building digital infrastructure to connect, control, and optimise distributed energy assets across residential (B2C) and commercial (B2B) environments.  Their mission: turn energy consumption into a flexible, controllable resource that supports the grid and unlocks new value streams.    🌐 Learn More  * Survoltage: https://www.survoltage.fr/ [https://www.survoltage.fr/]  * FLEXECHARGE's collaboration with BSPs: https://www.flexecharge.com/partnerships/software [https://www.flexecharge.com/partnerships/software] Got some feedback or questions? Text us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382149/fan_mail/new] You can get more information on our website [https://www.flexecharge.com/]. Give us some stars please 🌟 If you enjoyed the episode, please give it a 5-stars note and leave us a review. Get in Touch: Do you have suggestions for future guests or topics? Reach out to us at hello@flexecharge.com [hello@flexecharge.com].  Subscribe & Stay Updated: 🔔 Make sure to subscribe to the Charge Point Podcast to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the world of EV charging and energy. 📩 You can subscribe to our Newsletter, The Charge Point Journal, by clicking here [https://www.flexecharge.com/newsletter-sign-up]. 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 And you can follow us on Linkedin by clicking here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexecharge] and connect with Christophe here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clephilibert/]. ⚡ Let’s keep the conversation—and the electrons—flowing.

Episode 47 – When EV Charging Hits the Grid Wall: Inside the INTERFACE Benelux conference

⚡ Episode Overview What happens when EV charging growth collides with grid reality? In this special episode of the Charge Point Podcast, we take you inside INTERFACE Benelux - a live event where industry leaders gathered to tackle one of the biggest challenges in electrification today: grid constraints. Through a series of short interviews recorded on-site, you’ll hear how key players across EV charging, battery storage, and energy markets are adapting — and what it really takes to keep scaling in a grid-constrained world. You'll hear interviews with Robert (FLEXECHARGE), Tessa (Intercel), Mike (Kwetta), Peter (Floading) and Jan (FLEXECHARGE). 🎧 What You’ll Learn *  Why the grid - not the charger - is now the main bottleneck *  How BESS (battery storage) is becoming essential to unlock new charging capacity  *  What “energy orchestration” really means for modern charging sites  *  Where the real value lies in flexibility markets today *  Why EV charging sites are evolving into full energy systems 🧠 Key Takeaways *  EV charging has entered a new phase: from deployment → to energy optimisation * Grid constraints are structural, not temporary  * BESS + EMS + smart orchestration are becoming the new standard  *  Flexibility is no longer theoretical - it’s a real business lever *  The industry is still early - and learning in real time 🚀 Why This Matters As EV adoption accelerates, the ability to work with the grid - not against it - will define the winners in this space. This episode gives you a front-row seat to how leading players are already making that shift. 🔗 Links & resources  * More info about the INTERFACE conference series: https://www.flexecharge.com/event-interface-ev-charging-meet-the-grid-in-person [https://www.flexecharge.com/event-interface-ev-charging-meet-the-grid-in-person] * On-Demand Webinar: https://www.flexecharge.com/resources/webinars/the-power-of-co-located-batteries-unlocking-the-full-revenue-potential [https://www.flexecharge.com/resources/webinars/the-power-of-co-located-batteries-unlocking-the-full-revenue-potential]  Got some feedback or questions? Text us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382149/fan_mail/new] You can get more information on our website [https://www.flexecharge.com/]. Give us some stars please 🌟 If you enjoyed the episode, please give it a 5-stars note and leave us a review. Get in Touch: Do you have suggestions for future guests or topics? Reach out to us at hello@flexecharge.com [hello@flexecharge.com].  Subscribe & Stay Updated: 🔔 Make sure to subscribe to the Charge Point Podcast to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the world of EV charging and energy. 📩 You can subscribe to our Newsletter, The Charge Point Journal, by clicking here [https://www.flexecharge.com/newsletter-sign-up]. 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 And you can follow us on Linkedin by clicking here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexecharge] and connect with Christophe here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clephilibert/]. ⚡ Let’s keep the conversation—and the electrons—flowing.

Episode 46: 800+ Grid Operators, One Massive Problem - And How CPOs Can Standardize Their Rollout

Scaling EV charging infrastructure in Europe sounds straightforward — until you hit the grid. In markets like Germany, Charge Point Operators are facing a highly fragmented landscape with 800+ Distribution System Operators (DSOs) — each with their own technical requirements, processes, and timelines. The result? More complexity, longer delays, and unpredictable rollouts. In this episode, Christophe is joined by Christof (Product Strategist) and Nicolas (Head of Customer Success) from FLEXCHARGE to unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes — and what it means for CPOs looking to scale. They break down why grid integration is becoming the #1 bottleneck, how lack of standardization is slowing down the entire industry, and why forward-thinking operators are shifting their approach. Because this isn’t just a technical challenge — it’s a strategic one. ⚡ What You’ll Learn *  Why grid integration is becoming the main constraint for scaling EV charging  *  The real impact of 800+ DSOs on deployment speed and complexity  *  Why every new site risks becoming a custom engineering project  *  How standardization can unlock faster, more predictable rollouts  *  What role solutions like the FLEXBOX play in simplifying grid integration  *  Why EV charging is evolving into a grid-interactive energy asset *  What CPOs need to do today to stay competitive tomorrow  🔑 Key Takeaways * Fragmentation kills scale: dealing with hundreds of DSOs creates operational chaos  * Standardization is a competitive advantage, not just an efficiency gain  * Compliance is only the starting point — flexibility and control are the next frontier  * Charging infrastructure is becoming part of the energy system, not just mobility  🧠 About the Guests Christof – Product Strategist at FLEXCHARGE, focused on designing scalable, grid-integrated solutions for EV charging infrastructure. Nicolas – Head of Customer Success at FLEXCHARGE, working closely with CPOs across Europe to support rollout and operations at scale. 🔗 Links & resources  On-Demand Webinar: Solving the Grid Control Bottleneck in Germany: https://www.flexecharge.com/resources/webinars/the-best-cpos-dont-reinvent-deployments-they-standardise-meet-the-flexbox [https://www.flexecharge.com/resources/webinars/the-best-cpos-dont-reinvent-deployments-they-standardise-meet-the-flexbox]  Got some feedback or questions? Text us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382149/fan_mail/new] You can get more information on our website [https://www.flexecharge.com/]. Give us some stars please 🌟 If you enjoyed the episode, please give it a 5-stars note and leave us a review. Get in Touch: Do you have suggestions for future guests or topics? Reach out to us at hello@flexecharge.com [hello@flexecharge.com].  Subscribe & Stay Updated: 🔔 Make sure to subscribe to the Charge Point Podcast to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the world of EV charging and energy. 📩 You can subscribe to our Newsletter, The Charge Point Journal, by clicking here [https://www.flexecharge.com/newsletter-sign-up]. 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 And you can follow us on Linkedin by clicking here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexecharge] and connect with Christophe here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clephilibert/]. ⚡ Let’s keep the conversation—and the electrons—flowing.

Episode 45 – How Smart Freight Centre Is Accelerating the Shift to Zero-Emission Trucking

In this episode, we sit down with Samuel Barendregt from the Smart Freight Centre, a global nonprofit working at the forefront of zero-emission freight.  Freight is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize — but things are starting to move. Battery-electric trucks are entering the market, charging infrastructure is evolving, and new collaborative models are emerging to bridge the gap between ambition and execution.  So what will it actually take to scale zero-emission freight?    🚀 What we cover  * Why battery-electric trucks are emerging as the leading solution for zero-emission road freight  * The critical role of charging infrastructure — and why depot charging dominates today  * The rise of shared charging hubs and semi-public depot infrastructure  * The importance of megawatt charging systems (MCS) for long-haul trucking  * Why collaboration across the ecosystem is essential to unlock scale  * The current state of pilot projects vs. real deployment  * Why the biggest gap today is not technology — but knowledge and coordination    🔑 Key insights  * Depot charging is king: the majority of truck charging happens at depots due to cost and operational control  * Shared infrastructure is emerging: fleets are beginning to collaborate on semi-public charging to improve utilization  * Battery-electric trucks are leading the transition, with other technologies playing more limited roles  * The industry is still in an early stage, especially when it comes to advanced solutions like MCS and V2G  * Learning and collaboration today = competitive advantage tomorrow    🌍 About Smart Freight Centre  A global nonprofit focused on reducing emissions in the freight sector.  They work with major companies like Amazon, IKEA, DHL, and LEGO to:  * Track and report emissions  * Enable collaborative decarbonization projects  * Accelerate the adoption of zero-emission technologies  Their mission: align the freight sector with 1.5°C climate targets.    🔗 Links & resources  * Smart Freight Centre [https://www.smartfreightcentre.org ] * Connect with Samuel Barendregt [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-barendregt/ ] * On-Demand Webinar [https://www.flexecharge.com/resources/webinars/the-best-cpos-dont-reinvent-deployments-they-standardise-meet-the-flexbox ]: Solving the Grid Control Bottleneck in Germany Got some feedback or questions? Text us! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2382149/fan_mail/new] You can get more information on our website [https://www.flexecharge.com/]. Give us some stars please 🌟 If you enjoyed the episode, please give it a 5-stars note and leave us a review. Get in Touch: Do you have suggestions for future guests or topics? Reach out to us at hello@flexecharge.com [hello@flexecharge.com].  Subscribe & Stay Updated: 🔔 Make sure to subscribe to the Charge Point Podcast to stay updated on the latest trends and developments in the world of EV charging and energy. 📩 You can subscribe to our Newsletter, The Charge Point Journal, by clicking here [https://www.flexecharge.com/newsletter-sign-up]. 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 And you can follow us on Linkedin by clicking here [https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexecharge] and connect with Christophe here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clephilibert/]. ⚡ Let’s keep the conversation—and the electrons—flowing.