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Vehicle-to-grid projects share £30 million funding

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The government has announced funding of £30 million to be shared by 21 projects investigating ‘vehicle to grid’ applications for electricity storage. The Department for Transport said the schemes will demonstrate how energy stored in electric vehicle batteries could be borrowed by the electricity system during peak hours, before being recharged during the off-peak in time for their drivers to set off on their next journey.

Transport minister Jesse Norman said: “As the number of electric vehicles grows and their battery capabilities increase, there is a huge opportunity for them to make a significant contribution to a smart grid.

“These projects are at the cutting edge of their field. Just like the visionary designs of Brunel and Stephenson in transport, they could revolutionise the ways in which we store and manage electricity, both now and in the future.”

Eight projects won funding for feasibility studies. They were:

  • Haven – Home as a virtual energy network, led by Upside Energy
  • V2GB – Vehicle to grid Britain, led by Element Energy
  • The Smart Home Enabled Domestic Charge-point Solution led byPowervault
  • Blockchain enabled vehicle to local grid led by Agile Impressions
  • Western Isles consolidated V2G and RE Study led by Zero Carbon Marine
  • Integrated energy systems for commercial vehicles led by Flexible Power Systems
  • Badge – battery degradation for grid-connected electric vehicles led by AVL Powertrain UK
  • Project Envince  led by E-Car Club

Five groups won funding for collaborative research and design:

  • Universal modular vehicle-to-grid bi-directional on board charger with SiC technologies led by Dynex
  • Vehicle-to-Grid Intelligent controL (VIGIL) led by Nortech
  • V2G Rebound – Renewables bound for the grid led by Rolec
  • V2Street led by Upside Energy
  • GenDrive : Gamification for consumer engagement in V2G services led by Gengame

Funding was given for  three sets of demonstration projects.

For commercial and public service vehicles V2GO, led by EDF  Energy, won funding for a project in Oxford, and Bus2Grid, led by SSE Services, won funding for a project in London.

Three grants were awarded for domestic vehicles: Beating Home, led by Octopus Energy near London; and two distributed projects, e4Future led by Nissan and Sciurus led by OVO Energy.

Three transport hubs including car parks won funding: E-Flex, led by Cisco in London, Smart Hubs II, led by Flexisolar                                 in the north; and a distributed solution, EV-elocity, led by AT Kearney.