How Vehicle-to-Grid Technology Contributes to a Sustainable Future

Electric vehicles equipped with this technology can serve as a storage unit for renewable energy

According to a recent review of the
European Environment Agencyup to 80% of cars in the EU will be fully electric by 2050. With the number of electric vehicles continuing to increase, the number of zero-emission cars on our roads will not increase rapidly until the next decade.

although
the transition to renewable energy undoubtedly positive for the environment, this drastic transformation will pose a series of challenges for consumers, communities and the stability of local power grids.

To support the transition to renewable energy, innovative Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology offers a possible solution. V2G technology can harness renewable energy stored in electric vehicle batteries and feed it back into the grid at peak times, benefiting vehicle owners and entire societies.

The first challenge to consider is the increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road
the use of more sustainable energy. This is already a common social phenomenon: the spike in energy demand that immediately occurs when people wake up in the morning and turn on their kettle, or cook dinner while watching TV after work.

Second, lower utilization of power plants will inevitably lead to higher operating costs. This will translate into an increase in consumer electricity rates, as well as potential price increases.

Third, although the level of fossil fuels used
to generate electricity slowly decreasing – from 39% in 2019 to 37% in 2021 – the carbon intensity of energy generation must be reduced much more.

Finally, countries around the world still need to increase their capacity to generate and store enough energy to meet this new demand.

To overcome these challenges and facilitate the transition to renewable energy, electric vehicle batteries can provide a highly efficient solution for smart energy storage and distribution.

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology does
an innovative concept that is being developed to take advantage of this opportunity. Over time, this technology could become a key feature that all electric vehicles are equipped with. Hyundai, one of the leading manufacturers, is making significant progress in this area.

V2G technology enables electrical networks
handle the extra load meaning that millions of electric vehicles need to be charged and at the same time the most intermittent renewable energy sources need to be better integrated into the system. Electric vehicles equipped with V2G technology can serve as a storage unit for renewable energy.

EV batteries supported by V2G technology can be used in a grid system
as a backup when needed. Vehicles can feed renewable energy back into the grid at times when no solar or wind energy can be generated, such as on a quiet afternoon. Similarly, during peak times, when large amounts of power are consumed, EVs can feed electricity back into the grid to balance demand.

“V2G technology will give EVs a secondary utility outside of passenger transportation. The power can be fed back into the grid for use by local power distribution companies, while the batteries can also be used to store power, helping power distributors to stabilize the grid,” he says.
Yukihiro Maeda, Head of Cross-Carline at Hyundai Motor Europe. “In addition to
manage power supply during peak hours and to decarbonise the electricity system, this technology even has the potential to create financial benefits for grid conductors and distributors, as well as significant environmental benefits by supporting the decarbonisation of power grids.«

In addition to benefits for EV owners, as the infrastructure required for V2G technology is developed and deployed, this technology can also bring benefits to society as a whole, local energy grids and the environment.

When wind turbines or solar panels generate more electricity than the grid needs,
electric vehicles with V2G technology They can be used to store excess electricity. Therefore, V2G technology could play a key role in energy supply management in the future.

In addition to supporting the stabilization of the local grid, V2G technology will also contribute to a reliable supply of renewable energy. On the supply side, the democratization of renewable energy is already in place. But with V2G technology there is now the possibility to realize this on the demand side as well.

On average, most cars remain parked and stationary 96% of the time, or more than 23 hours a day, while daily commutes typically require only one-tenth of an EV’s battery capacity to actually drive. After charging their vehicles at a lower cost during off-peak hours, EV owners can sell unused power from their batteries during peak hours, when electricity is scarce and the price is higher. In this way,
EV batteries they can be used as a flexible, low-carbon energy source to support grid stability. This saves significant network capacity and reduces operating costs for energy suppliers.

V2G is
a future technology which is already available. The reorganization of the grid is already taking place and requires the cooperation of various stakeholders, such as governments, energy suppliers and original equipment manufacturers. In addition, a common communication protocol is established between the VE and the network.

A single electric vehicle can store enough electricity to power up to five households for 24 hours. An entire fleet can have a significant impact
in whole villages and towns, with the ability to take advantage of excess renewable energy during the central hours of the day and offset peak demand from the grid in the morning and night. Thanks to V2G technology, cars can not only supply energy to the grid, but also to customers’ homes.

To make all this possible and to stimulate a greater use of V2G technology, it is necessary to develop further
Business modelsconduct commercial viability studies and study regulatory aspects.

Source: La Verdad

Ida

I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.