EV batteries alone could support the grid in the short term as the world transitions to renewables, according to new research published yesterday.
The study, titled “Electric vehicle batteries alone could satisfy short-term grid storage demand by as early as 2030,” was published in Nature Communications.
Researchers “quantify the global EV battery capacity available for grid storage using an integrated model incorporating future EV battery deployment, battery degradation, and market participation.” They look at the main EV battery markets of China, the European Union, and the US, and what it calls the “Rest of the World region.”
They write that EV batteries can be used in both vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capacity and after the end of vehicle life, when they are removed and used in stationary storage.
The researchers, which state that their estimates are conservative, assert that low participation rates of just 12-43% are needed to provide short-term grid storage demand globally, and that demand could be met as early as 2030 across most regions. And beyond 2030:
We estimate a total technical capacity of 32-62 TWh by 2050. This is significantly higher than the 3.4–19.2 TWh required by 2050 in IRENA and Storage lab scenarios.
Electrek’s Take
This is an extremely interesting study, and initially it’s kind of exciting. But ultimately I tend to read it as theoretical because I don’t know if people would buy into this. There are many factors that need to be taken into account. What about vehicle depreciation? Do people want to share their EV power with the grid? What would incentivize people to do so?
Leave a Reply