VEHICLE-TO-GRID
for EVs at EDF Energy’s BlueLab, warns:
“There is still anxiety surrounding the
range in which vehicles can travel and
whether we have the infrastructure
to support this – as we are still in the
early stages of the adoption curve with
EVs, people need to be educated on
the range of EV and infrastructure
availability but also about how
V2G charging works and about
its added benefi ts.”
But this is very cost-sensitive. A UK
study by Cenex showed that revenue
depends heavily on the amount of time
vehicles are idle and not charging – and the
relationship isn’t linear. Vehicles plugged in
75% of the time could earn £436 (US$562)
additional annual revenue by moving from
V1G to V2G. But that’s four times higher
than a vehicle plugged in 30% of the time.
So privately owned vehicles remain a vital
ingredient, off ering the volumes and downtime
that suit V2G perfectly. OVO Energy launched
the world’s fi rst domestic bidirectional charger
in 2018, and Tom Pakenham, director of EVs at
its smart charge subsidiary Kaluza, believes
costs are becoming more consumer-friendly.
“Two years ago, domestic V2G units were the
size of a fridge and cost more than £15,000
US$19,000,” he says. “They are now more
commonly in the region of sub-£4,000
82 // January 2020 // www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com
US$5,000 so we’d hope to see in the next
two years the price reducing further, perhaps
to £2,000 US$2,500. If homeowners are then
making around £400-£600 US$515-$773
annually, we might see something similar
to the solar market boom and a widespread
uptake of the technology.”
Which, in turn, shifts importance onto
government policy as a catalyst. NewMotion
CEO Sytse Zuidema highlights policies such
as the UK’s restriction of subsidies to cover
only smart charge units as a good example,
but legislation and taxation for EVs remains
a hurdle. As the roadmap clears, it seems EVs
could become an enabler for, rather than a
barrier to, a greener grid. But not without
cross-sector support in place.
“Two years ago, domestic V2G units were the
size of a fridge and cost more than £15,000”
Tom Pakenham, director of EVs, Kaluza
7. Kaluza’s V2G unit is an
example of how domestic
units have come down
in both size and price
8. A Nissan technician
gets to work in Denmark
9. The car manufacturer’s
efforts are intended to
help electric vehicles
make the grid greener
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