A vehicle-to-grid EV charging project has begun conducting trials with businesses.
Vehicle-to-grid technology allows power from EV batteries, while the EV is plugged into a charger, to be used to power a building, such as a company’s office, or alternatively to be sold back to the grid.
While this technology has previously been focused on CHAdeMO DC charging, the V2VNY project, led by engineering company Hangar 19 in partnership with CrowdCharge and DriveElectric, is using AC bi-directional technology.
The trial is open to fleets running at least two examples of selected EVs from Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, or MG. Trial participants are provided with a free V2G EV charger, which can be kept after the end of the project.
Other partners in the project include Electric Corby, Oxfordshire County Council, Grid Beyond, and JLR, which is providing prototype EVs.
The trial has funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, delivered by Innovate UK.
CrowdCharge and DriveElectric CEO Mike Potter said: “The UK has a huge and largely untapped battery storage capability in the form of over one million electric vehicles that spend most of their time parked up.
“Using this resource can help reduce the load on electricity networks at peak times, as well as lowering costs and carbon. This project will trial how the latest EVs can be used as mini power plants to benefit businesses, electricity operators and the country as a whole.”
