Vehicle-to-grid

More than 90 per cent of an EV battery lives off the road and remains unused. So, is it possible to tap into the untouched use of the battery?

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) introduces the idea that electric vehicles can be more than just transportation devices; they can be nothing more than mobile energy storage devices. Once an EV is charged up, the electricity can be used anywhere someone goes. This technology allows EV batteries to store energy and release it back to the electricity network when needed.

Currently, the leaders in manufacturing EVs with the capacity to support vehicle-to-grid are Nissan and Mitsubishi.

Opportunities

Utilities can use vehicle-to-grid technology to their advantage. V2G helps fortify the grid and reduce operating costs while supporting renewable-energy goals. V2G technology at a massive scale could cut down the need to build additional physical power plants, instead utilizing distributed sources of energy. Moreover, it could help to make an energy grid resilient by supplying electricity during times of peak use; this accommodates the scenario of renewable energy resources being unavailable, such as at night when solar panels are not working but plenty of vehicles are sitting idle.