What is V2G OR Vehicle to Grid charging?
V2G, Vehicle-to-Grid charging, is a two-way power connectivity between the vehicle and the grid, with power from the vehicles’ batteries used to deliver energy to the grid during peak demand, and then the batteries are recharged from the grid during times of lower demand, such as late at night/early morning hours.
What are some real-world examples of V2G?
While V2G has not reached ubiquity, it is gaining momentum as an option to reduce stress on the power grid.
One of the earliest examples of V2G is at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, where sports fans can provide power to the stadium during the early part of the event and then have their batteries recharged in time to make it home.
On a wider scale, every Nissan Leaf is already set up to be part of V2G infrastructure, so Leaf owners can use their vehicles to power their homes.
How does ISO 15118 relate to V2G?
ISO 15118 is the industry standard enabling vehicle-to-grid communications, especially as part of a smart charging infrastructure. It allows the vehicle to “tell” the grid the volume of power available in its battery supply, with the smart charging system serving as the “broker,” streamlining the removal of energy from the battery to meet grid balancing requirements during times of peak demand and to replace the battery’s energy when the demand has decreased.
What is Plug & Charge?
ISO 15118 enables Plug & Charge. Plug & Charge secure communications allow for instant identification of the vehicle to the charging network; it streamlines vehicle identification and charging payment, eliminating the need for the driver to separately input information about the vehicle into the administration system of the charge point.
What are the benefits of V2G – vehicle to grid charging?
V2G provides a major benefit to the grid, reducing stress and increasing the ability to achieve grid balancing without having to increase investments in power generation infrastructure. As the communications protocols allow for easy management, tracking and identification, the V2G data generated can be used to project long-term energy requirements and consumer EV charging behavior and address them accordingly.
What are the challenges of V2G?
As vehicle to grid charging is still in its nascent stages, the long-term effects of V2G activities on the lifespan of electric batteries are still unknown. To enable wider adoption, investments in EV charging hardware may be necessary. Furthermore, software needs to be developed to address the variety of potential V2G business models.
