Tackling the 2 in V2G

EV adoption is speeding up around the world, and while electrification offers emissions reductions and other benefits, it creates new challenges and opportunities for grid operators. Guidehouse Insights expects that EVs will make up 5% of the global market for personal vehicles by 2024, and that collective charging requirements will add 160 GW of demand to electricity systems as owners switch from filling up to plugging in.

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies seem an obvious and low cost alternative to ramping up generation in the face of new demand from EVs. Why not use EV batteries to shift and shave demand peaks during the 95% of the time they sit unused? But making V2G a reality requires significant infrastructure and software developments, and EV owners must also consent to allowing grid operators access to batteries for flexibility services.

Integrating EVs Requires New Technology

If EV batteries are to be called upon for V2G, they first need a physical connection to the grid that supports two-way charging infrastructure, which are not yet widely available. However, major automakers like Honda are already developing two-way charging stations with V2G in mind, and deployment is likely to increase as more EVs hit the road.

Once two-way charging infrastructure is in place, the vehicle-station pair needs a software solution for monitoring grid signals and managing power flows. IBM and TenneT are collaborating with sonnen and Vanderbron to pilot a blockchain-based V2G platform that can adapt to conditions on the grid, such as congestion or oversupply of wind power. The blockchain records the locations and identities of devices involved, exchange volume, and other details as a secure and verifiable basis for settlement with the EV owner.

Consumers Need to Be Compensated for V2G Risks and Services

Technology is only half of the equation—EV owners also need to participate. Owners that participate in V2G take on the risks of doing so, and should expect to be compensated for providing flexibility, services, and for potential wear and tear of the vehicle’s battery (though there are conflicting views on this). Owners will also require guarantees that integrating will not cost drivers the use of their vehicle in emergencies or other situations.

In the short term, compensation might provide enough incentive for owners to adopt V2G. One study estimated the value of flexibility services from £600 to £8,000 ($800 to $10,800) of income each year for vehicle owners. Whether the income is a sufficient counter to real or perceived risks will likely vary with a customer’s individual situation, which constrains the potential of V2G.

The Rise of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Could Help Maximize V2G Potential

Evolving vehicle ownership models could have a huge effect on V2G. In a world where consumers access on-demand fleets of EVs owned and operated by an MaaS provider rather than owning vehicles, many barriers to V2G adoption disappear.

Since demand for MaaS vehicles is likely to be cyclical, with lower demand during midday when grid congestion demand is higher, a portion of the fleet can be parked and plugged in to act as a buffer for the grid. Utilities and grid operators could partner with fleet owners to ensure that some fraction of the electrified fleet is grid-connected at any given time, providing the grid with a reliable pool of flexible resources in exchange for a new source of revenue. The service provider pools customer demand, and any effects on vehicle battery performance become a straightforward business cost.

As is often the case, the challenge is getting from here to there. Guidehouse Insights can help—check out our latest report on the future of MaaS.