Image Credit: Essential Energy
More than half of all Australians would like their car to double as a battery that could feed power back into the grid but big changes will be needed to make the process easier.
Early hurdles for using vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology include the high price of bi-direction chargers, persistent software issues and a complicated installation process.
Motoring body the NRMA issued the warnings on Thursday in early findings from a study of V2G technology conducted with the University of Technology Sydney and iMove Co-operative Research Centre.
They come a day after the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) issued a V2G roadmap that estimated 2.6 million households could be using the technology by 2040 to support the energy grid and save money.
Approved for use in Australia in 2024, vehicle-to-grid technology will allow motorists to plug their electric cars into bi-directional chargers.
These chargers can be used to feed power into a vehicle’s battery or take power from it to feed into the national grid during times of high demand, potentially earning motorists money.
The NRMA-led study interviewed five early V2G adopters and found they were making about $1000 a year feeding energy into the grid from their vehicles, including one driver who made more than $500 in two hours.
The study also identified significant challenges to installing and using V2G technology including a lack of information about the technology, compatibility and software issues with bi-directional chargers and the high cost of purchasing the equipment.
The only bi-directional charger approved for use in Australia costs $11,000.
The V2G users, based in NSW and South Australia, had to manually control the energy flowing from their vehicles – something UTS Institute of Sustainable Futures research director Dr Scott Dwyer said would be important to address to achieve wide adoption.
“The experiences of this first wave of users have allowed us to identify the main barriers and enablers of the V2G customer journey,” he said.
“That will help smooth out and speed up V2G adoption for more Australians.”
A survey of 1300 drivers conducted by the NRMA also found more than half wanted to install V2G technology soon and more than four in five parked vehicles at home at least three days a week during peak solar hours.
NRMA chief strategy officer Vivian Miles said the opportunity to put renewable energy into the power grid and allow drivers to make money from their vehicles should not be passed over.
“With Australia’s wholesale energy market so volatile, bi-directional charging could revolutionise how we view and use our cars,” she said.
“If V2G technology becomes accessible for more EV drivers, these vehicles will be able to add energy back into the grid when it’s most needed.”
While the study only interviewed Nissan Leaf drivers able to use the current CHAdeMO charger approved for use in Australia, more equipment is expected to be approved later this year.
ARENA’s V2G road map found that with the right settings – including installation rebates and dynamic energy tariffs – 2.6 million Australian households could use the technology by 2040.
AAP
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V2G is a area that the federal government should be doing all possible to create momentum in adoption of V2G. It will require very little infrastructure investment.
V2G will help to reduce duck curve, midday curtailment of renewables, reduce evening peak, reduce importation of fossil fuels which will improve our balance of payments nationally, stimulate more EV sales, allow homeowners to run homes on home BESS or V2G during natural disasters and blackout, reduce overall market price of electricity as long as the large gentailers do not end up in control of the huge VPP V2G can create, reduce National carbon footprint, reduce local pollution by using more renewables and reducing local pollution, reduce number of premature deaths annually due to fossil fuel use, reduce cost of illness and deaths to national medical budget.
After some basic research I suggest most people should wait until commercial charge stations offer bi-directional V2G in their fast chargers - I assume they will want to charge a percentage for discharging.
The advantage is I can charge cheaply at home without spending 5 digit price for connecting. With a V2G capable car should be compatible with any DC CCS charger should be bi-directional and at worst 50kW and possibly faster.
Owners drive to charger during $5000 to $15,000 MW NEM events and deliver most of their battery once or twice in a year for $500 an hour or maybe as much as $2000?
"The only bi-directional charger approved for use in Australia costs $11,000."
You could install a permanently connected home battery for that much money.