What is Vehicle-to-grid?
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology allows an electric vehicle (EV) to send power into the electricity grid using a bidirectional (two-way) charger controlled via a remote management system. Some vehicles with V2G can also be used to supply backup power. However, V2G should not be confused with Vehicle-to-home (V2H) or Vehicle-to-load (V2L), where the vehicle is used to power a home or loads rather than send power to the grid. Learn more about the difference between V2G, V2H and V2L here.
How does V2G work?
V2G technology allows an electric vehicle to synchronize with the electricity grid and inject power back into the grid using a specialized bidirectional charger. These advanced devices contain sophisticated power converters that can either charge the EV battery or send power back to the grid when instructed, such as in times of high-power demand to help stabilize the grid. However, for it to function, the following three prerequisites are required:
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An electric vehicle with V2G capability.
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A compatible bidirectional charger.
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The owner must participate in a V2G program such as a VPP.
V2G technology can help stabilize the electricity grid by paying individuals to allow the local grid operator to use some of their EV battery capacity for grid support services. However, you cannot simply connect a bidirectional charger to an EV and start feeding power into the grid without having approval from the grid operator. For it to work, the grid operator must be able to manage the bidirectional charger remotely and control the amount of energy injected into the grid. This remote management is typically done via a Virtual Power Plant program (VPP), which we explain later.
“an average EV has a battery capacity of 60kWh, which is six times larger than a typical 10kWh home solar battery and around three times more energy than an average household uses per day”