Electromobility Advancing Innovation for a Resilient Energy Future
Spotlight interview with Guillermo López Arias
Country Manager Iberia, Kempower
Electromobility is emerging as one of the technologies pushing energy innovation forward.
The rapid expansion of electric mobility is reshaping the energy landscape, but the transition is far from straightforward. As Guillermo López Arias emphasized in our recent discussion, the challenges are real: inefficiencies in current charging systems, bottlenecks in heavy transport electrification, and the risks of short‑term thinking in infrastructure deployment. Yet, the solutions emerging point toward a smarter, more resilient future.
Lessons from the frontlines of EV infrastructure
When electric vehicle charging is combined with renewable energy, scalable infrastructure, and emerging DC‑to‑DC systems, it strengthens the energy system’s resilience and reduces emissions. Electromobility works alongside storage, hydrogen, and smart grids to support the transition toward sustainable infrastructure.
Closing the Efficiency Gap
Today’s EV charging systems lose 10–12% of renewable energy simply through conversion. This happens because the power from solar panels (DC) is turned into household power (AC), and then turned back into DC for the car's battery. This constant back-and-forth conversion wastes valuable renewable energy.
Heavy Transport: Ready Hardware, Missing Power
For heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses, charging technology is already in place. Systems like the Megawatt Charging Standard (MCS) can deliver the necessary power quickly. The real challenge is not the hardware but the electricity grid itself. Connecting a site to the grid can take three to four years, and operators are left with a difficult choice: wait for upgrades or invest in large battery storage systems. These delays in grid access are currently the main barrier to expanding electric heavy transport.
Strategic Scaling Over Short‑Term Fixes
In the early stages of EV infrastructure, many projects have focused on the cheapest short‑term solutions. A small charger may meet immediate needs, but it soon falls short as fleets grow. A more sustainable approach is to design infrastructure with scalability in mind, allowing additional power units and dispensers to be added seamlessly when demand increases. Although this requires higher initial investment, it reduces the risk of equipment becoming obsolete and helps ensure that charging networks remain functional in the long run.
The Next Game Changer: Direct DC Integration
One of the most significant innovations on the horizon is direct DC integration. This approach connects renewable energy sources, batteries, and chargers without routing through the AC grid, removing conversion losses and improving efficiency. It could enable large‑scale electrification in demanding settings such as ports and airports. Although technically complex, pilot projects for the “DC link” are already in testing, and promises to redefine how we power mobility and critical infrastructure.
Electromobility as a Stabilizer
"Electromobility is here to help. It's not here to be a problem."
Perhaps the most important shift is in perspective. Electromobility should not be seen as a drain on the grid, but as a potential stabilizing force. Through bidirectional charging, electric vehicles can store surplus renewable energy during periods of low demand and feed it back when demand peaks. This turns vehicles into distributed energy resources, helping to balance fluctuations in supply and demand. In this way, millions of vehicles can actively strengthen grid resilience by balancing supply and demand.
These perspectives were shared by Guillermo López Arias in an interview conducted ahead of our recent Energy Technology Event, where discussions focused on pricing volatility, material dependencies, storage and hydrogen, the role of nuclear power, and the broader challenge of building resilient and sustainable infrastructure.