Leading the charge in bi-directional charging
With electric vehicle (EV) numbers increasing globally, governments have started devising strategies to promote and adjust to prepare for the seismic shift from liquid fuels to electricity for road transport. This corresponds with the rapid growth of renewables for generating electricity, which is posing challenges for matching the supply of clean energy when it’s needed.
Vehicle-to-Grid/Vehicle-to-Everything (V2G/V2X) can provide a solution to the significant demand for renewables and grid capacity required for the clean transport and clean energy transition, while also empowering consumers. Australia is extremely well placed to take advantage of the V2G/V2X opportunity given our world-leading penetration of renewable and decentralised energy generation.
Participants
Project background
While this shift to EVs could pose a major challenge for the electricity grid, it could also be an opportunity if the vehicle batteries can be harnessed as mobile energy storage through bi-directional charging. Also known as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G)/Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), bi-directional charging can be a key contributor to a just transition towards 100% renewable energy.
This project will fill an important gap in the Australian energy transition landscape and enable the NRMA to contribute to Australia’s preparedness for V2G/V2X. It will achieve this by:
- Integrating existing knowledge;
- Understanding consumer attitudes;
- Convening the necessary key stakeholders;
- Defining its future role in the V2G ecosystem to ensure members can access the full benefits from bi-directional charging;
- Identifying appropriate policy and advocacy positions; and
- Creating a roadmap to advance its widespread adoption for maximum benefit to the country.
Project objectives
The key objectives for this project to help unlock V2G/V2XH potential in Australia are to:
- Understand the current state-of-the-art and consumer/ NRMA member attitudes to V2G/V2XH;
- Build the necessary capacity, consensus, and collaboration amongst stakeholders;
- Scope and initiate a demonstration project that tests and validates the value of V2G/V2X while adding to the existing knowledge base and current state-of-the-art;
- Identify the role NRMA could play in the V2G/V2X ecosystem, including advocating for progressive policy positions to support this technology;
- Produce a roadmap that articulates the steps needed to scale V2G/V2X from its current state.
Ultimately, this project will position Australia for a world-leading role in V2G/V2X deployment and provide additional value for NRMA members, energy consumers, the electricity grid, and Australia’s economy.
Please note …
This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!
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I currently use my EV in V2L mode to run my house overnight via a change-over switch that feeds my lighting and a couple of power circuits. This is a manual operation as I have to unplug the charger and plug in the V2L adapter but it only takes a couple of minutes; obviously bi-directional charging would make this seamless.
The house uses about 10% of the battery overnight so it doesn’t cause any additional ‘range anxiety’. On a sunny day it only takes a couple of hours to replace that charge.
I am very interested in discovering whether a V2L-capable electric vehicle produces a “dirty” wave form that may be out of phase with the mains circuits in an Australian single phase house. I am wanting to be able to connect my future V2L-fitted EV to my house and use the car battery to power my house overnight when the loads are less than 2.4 kWh (which I believe will be the continuous power output of a 10amp V2L system). I already have a 6.5kW battery in my house that is recharged by a solar system that currently produces over 80kWh of excess solar energy per week (this should be more than enough to recharge an EV). On a good solar producing day, my solar output and stored energy should cover all my power needs and I can then recharge the EV battery using excess solar and foregoing the measly feed in tariff I currently get from my grid retailer.
I own a Cupra Born with it’s 77KWh battery and the only EV in the Australian market today that uses a CCS charger and supports V2G. I am very keen to see the regulations on bi-directional charging updated to allow it in all states. Currently only SA is allowing it. I have a 10KWh home battery, but having electrified everything in my home that doesn’t last through the night. Especially with heating running in winter as I live in a colder part of Victoria. V2G connected EV batteries will be a game changer. The cost of EV battery capacity is far lower than home batteries at the moment. In fact the cheapest way to expand my home battery right now would be to buy a second hand Nissan Leaf and park it permanently in the garage connected via a bi-directional charger.