Repsol

IBIL has the first Electric Vehicle Control Centre in Spain

This morning, in Barakaldo, Vizcaya, Regional Minister for Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism Bernabé Unda inaugurated the Control Centre in the BEC Tower for IBIL, the electric vehicle charge manager established in 2010 by the Basque Government through the Basque Energy Entity (EVE) and REPSOL.
 
IBIL has a new Control Centre at its headquarters in the BEC Tower, in Vizcaya, that will enable it to provide a service of higher quality and safety to its customers. It will be used to control all of the recharging points installed by IBIL, both for public service and for individuals or businesses, the vehicles of its car-sharing subsidiary IBILEX (the electric car hire service operating since January), and the renewable electricity purchasing conditions.

The inaugural event, attended by over 200 people, was headed by Regional Minister for Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism Bernabé Unda, accompanied by REPSOL director for New Energies Josu Jon Imaz, IBIL Chairman Emiliano López Atxurra, and management from the automotive companies with which IBIL has signed collaboration agreements: RENAULT Spain Executive Director Armando García Otero, PEUGEOT Spain Executive Director Antonio González, NISSAN Iberia CEO and Executive Director Manuel de la Guardia, Berge y Cia Chairman Jaime Gorbeña Yllera, GENERAL MOTORS Spain Institutional Relations Director José María Garrido, and TOYOTA Spain Corporate Affairs Director Karl Van Dijck. It was also attended by Agustin Markaide, chairman of Eroski, a company with which IBIL signed an agreement to install recharging points at its supermarkets and shopping centres.

In addition to visiting the new control centre, those attending had the opportunity to learn about the electric models currently being marketed by the makes mentioned, which were on display at the IBIL headquarters.

About the Control Centre

The Control Centre has two operator positions, two support positions and a crisis room, in addition to a video wall designed to share information easily between operators and personnel, and to display maps, images, statistics curves and data with the highest graphic quality. The system controls IBIL's two main businesses: the recharging infrastructure and the car-sharing system operated by the IBILEK subsidiary.

Regarding the former, the system makes it possible to access location maps, monitor the state of each recharge point, access the schematics of the terminals at each location (augmented reality) and intervene directly on the terminals in the event of any incident or by request from a customer. The management system records all operations carried out on each terminal, relating the corresponding consumption and billing to each user. 

Customers can connect to the system online or by mobile phone and access the user area to determine the details of their recharging actions, and even reserve public points in advance. 

As regards the electric car-sharing service provided by IBILEK, the management system makes it possible to view the location and state of the bases, as well as the position of each vehicle, the charge level of its battery and the reservations made by customers. From the control centre, it is possible to conduct certain actions on the vehicles, such as opening or closing the doors, or authorising use by customers.

In both cases, it includes receiving alerts as a preliminary and fundamental process for resolving problems and/or incidents.

The centre can also access renewable electricity purchasing information (with curves and prices).

About IBIL

IBIL, a company in which the Basque Government has a 50% stake through its energy agency, the Basque Energy Entity, and Repsol, seeks to implement an electric vehicle recharging infrastructure in Spain that is sufficient to guarantee electric mobility.

IBIL completed the installation of over 109 recharging points in 2011, easily exceeding the forecast for that year. In 2012, it expects to extend its activity throughout Spain by opening offices in a number of autonomous regions.

About IBILEK car-sharing

IBILEK car-sharing is a new concept in mobility, different from conventional car hire. It offers a real alternative to the private car through the hire of electricity-powered vehicles. The service is operational in Bilbao and Barakaldo with a fleet of 14 new vehicles, both pure electric and plug-in hybrids. That number will expand as new IBILEK bases begin operating.

IBILEK will extend this service to the three Basque capitals, thus facilitating global electric mobility throughout the Basque Country during this year.