What’s next for V2X? Learnings from the world's largest V2G trial

Tom Jamieson, Product Marketing Manager, Kaluza

A typical EV sits parked 90% of the time with a battery capable of storing 40kWh of energy – enough to power an average home for two days. EVs provide a phenomenal opportunity for customers to store cheap, green energy and, with the latest advances in charging software, use it to power their homes and even sell it back to the grid. This bidirectional charging technology is already here and it is known as vehicle-to-everything (V2X). Drawing from the findings of the world’s first domestic vehicle-to-grid (V2G) trial with Kaluza, Nissan and OVO Energy, Tom will discuss how V2X technologies can accelerate our progress towards net zero, the unplugged potential of this tech for both customers and providers, and the complex regulations surrounding this shift. During this V2G trial, Kaluza leveraged algorithms that combine real-time market signals - such as wholesale electricity price feeds, weather and grid constraint data - and integrated with V2G hardware to automatically charge connected vehicles when prices and carbon levels were low, and exported energy from the EVs when the grid was constrained. The trial resulted in 330 V2G devices installed across the country and over 3 million free miles made available to customers who exported energy back to the grid during peak times. It also showed that V2G has the potential to save £3.5bn per year on grid infrastructure reinforcement, and that customers can earn an average of £420 to as much as £800 per year without needing to do anything except keep their cars plugged in when they are not in use. As a result, 46.8 tonnes of carbon was saved and 2.19 GWh of demand was shifted. This real-world demonstrator showed that in order for V2G to see widespread adoption and actually provide benefits to the grid, it’s imperative that auto OEMs and the energy industry work together to educate consumers and solve challenges. In this session, Tom will also discuss how type-of-use tariffs - like the Kaluza powered Charge Anytime add on - are the next phase in the journey to introduce simpler and more accessible managed charging programs, thereby helping boost EV adoption.