25th July 2023
Written by Mitchell LakinVehicle-to-Grid: The Future of Charging?
Smart charging has become a widespread feature for the latest EVCPs. Controlling when best to draw power from the grid saves consumers money and lessens the use of fossil fuels at peak times. The next step in the evolution of smart charging is vehicle-to-grid (V2G). This budding technology utilizes electric vehicles’ substantial battery size by using them to store energy and transfer it back to the grid. But how viable is this technology and is it something that we will find in our day-to-day lives by the end of the decade?
What Exactly Is It?
As we creep closer to the UK’s policy of net zero by 2050, battery-powered electric vehicles – or BEVs – are becoming increasingly widespread. According to Virta the EV charging platform, if 80% of passenger cars turn electric, it would lead to a global estimated increase of a 10-15% energy consumption. At face value, this seems like a fairly manageable increase. However, if more and more vehicles are charging at peak times, the National Grid will become strained, increasing prices and fossil fuel usage to meet surplus demand. This is where V2G offers a solution.
V2G-enabled vehicle batteries are bilateral, meaning the energy does not only flow from the power station to the vehicle but also in the other direction. This means the vehicle owner can charge their EV in off-peak hours, such as nighttime, so that any excess energy can either be fed back into the grid at peaks times – 4-7pm, according to Octopus Energy – where power is in high demand and expensive. As a result, the owner of the vehicle could gain extra income by selling discharged power back to the grid at peak times, or they could use their battery-stored energy to cheaply power their homes. This would also reduce the National Grid’s reliance upon fossil fuels.
Latest Steps: V2G Trials
As of August 2022, three V2G trials have been completed and are now closed for data review. This was to help Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) understand how the technology works so it can move closer to consumer availability. Three different companies were involved in conducting these one-year-long trials: Electric Nation, Octopus Electric Vehicles and Ovo Energy, respectively. Each company recruited 100-150 Nissan EV drivers who used the technology for several months so that operators could test its commercial viability. The trials were completed as of August 2022 and are now in the reviewing phase, in which each company will be vocal about their results for us to learn more.
This is not the only instance of V2G usage. Virta has seven fully operable V2G charging stations in use in their HQ. These stations are setup to fulfil two energy-saving purposes: when needed, the V2G stations will transfer power directly to nearby vehicle batteries connected to regular chargepoints. Alternatively, if no vehicles are available, the power will discharge to Virta’s garage lighting or air conditioning.
Making it Viable: What Needs to Progress?
Although some major steps are being taken, V2G is still in the development stages. Before it becomes widespread enough to be offered to every EV consumer, the market must witness three crucial changes:
- At the end of 2022, 29.9% of newly registered vehicles were electric or plug-in hybrids. According to Zap-Map, this is a massive leap from 0.4% just 6 years ago. However, EV owners and related infrastructure need to at least double before V2G can be a worthwhile investment.
- There is currently a standardisation barrier. Businesses such as CleanTechnica claim that governmental standards are needed for V2G technology to work seamlessly with all EVs and chargepoints. A system that works together with minimal hassle will attract more investors.
- Finally, EV owners must have a bigger relationship with local utilities who supply their power and, in turn, those utilities must be involved with wider city and county officials to communicate the flow of energy.
At Car Charged UK, we are keeping a close eye on the advancement of V2G technology. With our testing of on-street and wireless charging, staying at the forefront of leading technology is crucial for the fast-moving industry of electric vehicles. If you wish to learn more about our progress with these developments, take a look at our completed solar carport or investment in new technologies.
To keep updated on our latest news regarding installations, EV developments and more articles like this, follow us on:
Facebook: Car Charged UK
Instagram: Car_Chargeduk
Twitter: CarChargedUK
Linkedin: car-charged-uk
Vehicle-to-Grid: The Future of Charging?
Smart charging has become a widespread feature for the latest EVCPs. Controlling when best to draw power from the grid saves consumers money and lessens the use of fossil fuels at peak times. The next step in the evolution of smart charging is vehicle-to-grid (V2G). This budding technology utilizes electric vehicles’ substantial battery size by using them to store energy and transfer it back to the grid. But how viable is this technology and is it something that we will find in our day-to-day lives by the end of the decade?
What Exactly Is It?
As we creep closer to the UK’s policy of net zero by 2050, battery-powered electric vehicles – or BEVs – are becoming increasingly widespread. According to Virta the EV charging platform, if 80% of passenger cars turn electric, it would lead to a global estimated increase of a 10-15% energy consumption. At face value, this seems like a fairly manageable increase. However, if more and more vehicles are charging at peak times, the National Grid will become strained, increasing prices and fossil fuel usage to meet surplus demand. This is where V2G offers a solution.
V2G-enabled vehicle batteries are bilateral, meaning the energy does not only flow from the power station to the vehicle but also in the other direction. This means the vehicle owner can charge their EV in off-peak hours, such as nighttime, so that any excess energy can either be fed back into the grid at peaks times – 4-7pm, according to Octopus Energy – where power is in high demand and expensive. As a result, the owner of the vehicle could gain extra income by selling discharged power back to the grid at peak times, or they could use their battery-stored energy to cheaply power their homes. This would also reduce the National Grid’s reliance upon fossil fuels.
Latest Steps: V2G Trials
As of August 2022, three V2G trials have been completed and are now closed for data review. This was to help Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) understand how the technology works so it can move closer to consumer availability. Three different companies were involved in conducting these one-year-long trials: Electric Nation, Octopus Electric Vehicles and Ovo Energy, respectively. Each company recruited 100-150 Nissan EV drivers who used the technology for several months so that operators could test its commercial viability. The trials were completed as of August 2022 and are now in the reviewing phase, in which each company will be vocal about their results for us to learn more.
This is not the only instance of V2G usage. Virta has seven fully operable V2G charging stations in use in their HQ. These stations are setup to fulfil two energy-saving purposes: when needed, the V2G stations will transfer power directly to nearby vehicle batteries connected to regular chargepoints. Alternatively, if no vehicles are available, the power will discharge to Virta’s garage lighting or air conditioning.
Making it Viable: What Needs to Progress?
Although some major steps are being taken, V2G is still in the development stages. Before it becomes widespread enough to be offered to every EV consumer, the market must witness three crucial changes:
- At the end of 2022, 29.9% of newly registered vehicles were electric or plug-in hybrids. According to Zap-Map, this is a massive leap from 0.4% just 6 years ago. However, EV owners and related infrastructure need to at least double before V2G can be a worthwhile investment.
- There is currently a standardisation barrier. Businesses such as CleanTechnica claim that governmental standards are needed for V2G technology to work seamlessly with all EVs and chargepoints. A system that works together with minimal hassle will attract more investors.
- Finally, EV owners must have a bigger relationship with local utilities who supply their power and, in turn, those utilities must be involved with wider city and county officials to communicate the flow of energy.
At Car Charged UK, we are keeping a close eye on the advancement of V2G technology. With our testing of on-street and wireless charging, staying at the forefront of leading technology is crucial for the fast-moving industry of electric vehicles. If you wish to learn more about our progress with these developments, take a look at our completed solar carport or investment in new technologies.
To keep updated on our latest news regarding installations, EV developments and more articles like this, follow us on:
Facebook: Car Charged UK
Instagram: Car_Chargeduk
Twitter: CarChargedUK
Linkedin: car-charged-uk