The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the European Commission (EC), and the Argonne National Laboratory launched the Electric Vehicle-Smart Grid Interoperability Center July 19, 2013. The U.S. Interoperability Center was built in order to eliminate trade barriers by providing a predictable framework with universal connectivity and interoperability between electric vehicles (EVs) and the electric charging infrastructure. This growth is intended to give innovators confidence to invest in the electric vehicle market, the DOE said.

The U.S. Interoperability Center is located at the Argonne National Laboratory, a non-profit research laboratory, outside Chicago. The Joint Research Center, a research-based policy support organization within the EC, will open two European Interoperability Centers, one in Ispra, Italy and the other in Petten, Netherlands in 2014. The EC and the DOE will employ common test procedures, interoperability standards, and test comparisons, the DOE said.

The automotive industry will facilitate the growth of electric vehicles and charging stations, while the utility industry will invest in the smart grid, communications, and networking systems, the DOE said.

According to the DOE, both the U.S. and European Interoperability Centers will focus on:

• Developing and verifying standards, technologies, and communication protocols.

• Harmonizing test procedures for vehicles, batteries, and interoperability to facilitate EV compatibility with products from global suppliers.

• Identifying gaps in standards or technology; recommending solutions through the creation of proof-of-concept systems and validation of proposed approaches.