Nissan EV owners in parts of the UK are being recruited for the Electric Nation Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) trial, with the first of 100 free V2G chargers being installed this month.
The Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid (V2G) trial project is seeking to demonstrate how V2G technology can provide a solution to potential electricity network capacity issues that are expected to occur as the numbers of electric vehicles (EVs) increase over the coming years.
This is all the more important given the UK Government’s recent decision to bring forward the ban on all new sales of petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, originally set for 2040. This looming end to sales of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles makes it all the more important that technologies such as V2G are able to prove their worth.
The Electric Nation V2G trial has already received over 450 applications from EV drivers in the WPD license areas of the Midlands, South West, and South Wales.
Those chosen to participate will be provided with a free installation of a Wallbox Quasar smart charger, the smallest and lightest bidirectional charger for home use, worth £5,500. However, only owners of Nissan EVs can currently be used for V2G charging due to their CHAdeMO technology.
“I’m delighted to be part of the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid project and to play a role in trialling this exciting new technology,” said Rasita Chudasama, the first Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid trial participant to have a charger installed, which happened at the end of October.
“By reducing the potential impact of EV charging on electricity networks, V2G should support the rapid uptake of electric vehicles, which will help us to improve local air quality and combat climate change. I’m looking forward to seeing how V2G works from an EV driver’s point of view.”
By plugging in at specified times and by providing electricity to be pulled back into the grid, active participants of the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid project are expected to be rewarded with a monetary value of up to £120, available over the one-year trial period from March 2021 to March 2022.
The trial is hoping to show how V2G reduces the need for extra electricity generation or network reinforcement. Specifically, the trial will help Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and others to understand how V2G charging could work with their specific electricity networks.
Further, the trial is the first V2G project to use multiple energy suppliers, instead of just one, which CrowdCharge hopes will provide a more realistic real-world simulation, mimicking the way in which various streets and houses are operated by different energy suppliers.
During the one year trial, each supplier will be able to test a variety of energy services using the V2G chargers, including using EVs to pull power back into the electricity grid when required, and charging EVs during periods of excess supply in the system.
“Vehicle to grid charging is a great concept, but it hasn’t yet been trialled sufficiently on Britain’s electricity networks to enable it to be rolled out on a country-wide basis – hence the need for this project,” said Mike Potter, CEO of CrowdCharge.
“This trial will provide a smart solution for the management of electric vehicle charging and will study the real-world benefits of V2G.”
“Although we’ve already had more than four times as many applicants as there are places for the trial, recruitment remains open to ensure the project secures the best possible mix in the 100 participants,” said Ricky Duke, Innovation & Low Carbon Network Engineer at WPD.
“It’s really important for us to see how our customers engage with innovative energy services such as V2G so we can factor it in to our future investment plans.”
