A new project trialling vehicle-to-grid workplace charging using AC rather than DC technology is now underway to assess the cost-cutting potential.

The first vehicle to grid (V2G) chargers have now been installed for the V2VNY project.

The V2VNY project is being run to explore the effectiveness of reducing carbon emissions and lowering energy costs by using an AC (alternating current) V2G charger, which is more cost effective for vehicle-to-grid charging at workplaces and at homes than DC (direct current).

The first chargers have now been installed for the V2VNY trial, which aims to demonstrate a commercially viable way for fleet owners, businesses and EV drivers to save money, and for the UK to reduce the load on the electricity grid at peak times.

Under vehicle-to-grid charging, EVs can take power from the grid and also send it back. If an EV is charged when electricity prices are low and then electricity sent back to the grid at peak times when prices are high, fleets and building owners can save on electricity costs.

That’s not all though, and the V2VNY project is also trialling sending energy from EVs to buildings and to other vehicles as part of V2X (vehicle to everything).

V2G was previously only possible with EVs featuring CHAdeMO (DC, or high power) charging technology, as featured on the Nissan Leaf. Virtually all of the latest EVs now use CCS (DC) charging technology rather than CHAdeMO; standards exist to ensure CCS technology works with V2G by 2025.

The V2VNY trial however is using AC bi-direction rather than DC charging technology, which the charger synchronises with the grid. The AC solution is more efficient at low power and is therefore more suited for the use of V2G in a workplace or domestic setting, as well as ensuring much lower costs for a charger.

V2G is seen by many industry experts as a vital way to store energy generated by renewables and then to send it back to the grid at peak times, reducing the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels and accelerating the UK’s transition to net zero.

There are now over one million EVs on UK roads, with this figure growing every month, providing an ever-increasing quantity of mobile battery storage units.

The V2VNY project is being led by Hangar 19, in partnership with CrowdCharge and DriveElectric. CrowdCharge has been running V2G in homes for more than three years, with effective results. Other project partners are Electric Corby, Oxfordshire County Council, Grid Beyond and JLR, which is providing prototype electric vehicles for use in the trial.

Fleets participating in the trial are given a free V2G EV charger which can be kept after the end of the project; they need compatible electric vehicles on their fleet which feature AC V2X technology. These include the Genesis GV60, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6, Kia EV6a and EV9, and the MG4 and 5, amongst others.

Mike Potter, CEO of CrowdCharge, 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.”

The V2VNY Phase 2 project, part of the V2X Innovation Programme, is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), delivered by Innovate UK. The V2X Innovation Programme is part of the up to £65m Flexibility Innovation Programme, funded from the £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio.

More information on the project is available at this link.