Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/961476
NETWORK / 41 / APRIL 2018 What customer types do you see V2G working best for? MN: "Many cars are parked most of the time and could be used to support the power system, and so V2G should work for almost every EV owner. However, to start with, we will be targeting • eets with predictable driv- ing patterns." MA: "Indeed, this type of customer will ben- e• t from larger scale and the ability to sell V2G • exibility in volumes. What's more, the regular patterns of vehicle use and charging will allow for enhanced predictability." PE: "How about car parks? You can imagine a scheme that enables users to park at the airport for free if they allow the operator to provide V2G services. Or the train station? Or at the shops?" How will you evaluate the balance between benefi t to the grid and cost of enablement? PE: "Technologically, V2G is a great solu- tion, but we need to look at every possible scenario and • nd out what really works for people. This can only be done through real world testing, backed up with modelling." MA: "Yes, and Imperial College London has developed the right electricity system models to accurately evaluate the economic and environmental bene• ts of deploying V2G solutions. These models can quantify bene• ts both from an individual and whole- system perspective. The cost of implement- ing V2G will depend on the technology ap- plied and the scale. By contrasting the two across various scenarios, we will be able to establish whether, and in which situations, the bene• ts of V2G outweigh the costs." How are you preparing for the un- known future of EVs and V2G? PE: "Our £83 million Smart Grid Enablers programme is working to prepare our re- gional economy for the rapid growth of new low-carbon technologies, including EVs and V2G. The project will see a comprehensive upgrade to our network – the biggest since the 1970s – to ready us for the future in a technology agnostic way. When it comes to EVs speci• cally, it's about freeing up net- work capacity so they can charge and o— er grid services when plugged in." MA: "Other preparations can also be seen across industry and government. UK policy has recently provided more certainty on incentivising EV deployment, including the planned ban on selling conventional cars beyond 2040. This has also increased momentum among manufacturers, which have responded by developing new, more versatile EV models faster than ever before." FC: "Absolutely. If we think of each EV as a virtual power station, they provide the potential to create a more dynamic energy network. EVs can support energy storage, and by feeding this energy back to the grid, we can optimise local energy usage more eœ ciently. This, together with renewable en- ergy sources will help create a more reliable and sustainable energy network." How important is tackling con- sumer behaviour change? Will the industry be able to bring about the necessary changes? PE: "Ultimately, without consumer behav- iour change, V2G doesn't work and the customer bene• ts won't be realised. If users want to drive to an electric station and • ll their tank in • ve minutes, then EVs will be- come a burden on our network. Fortunately, the alternative is much better for everyone: if consumers only visit a refuelling station before a long trip, the vehicle can be used as a grid asset when it is parked on a day-to- day basis and also help pay for itself at the same time." FC: "Yes, behaviour change is important, but the electric car revolution is already well underway – we have sold 300,000 LEAFs globally. It's always a leap when choosing to do things di— erently, but once consumers experience the bene• ts of owning an elec- tric car and enjoying the • nancial bene• ts of V2G technology, we're con• dent it will capture their imagination." What are the potential spin-off technologies? PE: "The automotive sector has a great track record of taking technology, developing it and bringing down costs. V2G opens up a fascinating insight into the idea of the movement of electricity between grid and home. As batteries get cheaper, there is huge potential for wider deployment in the energy sector and others." MA: "Yes, and similar to the V2G concept, schemes aimed at delivering demand-side response could be widely implemented, tapping into • exibility through many dif- ferent devices, including smart dishwash- ers, washing machines, heating systems or commercial and industrial loads. At the same time, this would enable owners of • exible loads to earn additional revenues and reduce energy costs." PE: "Absolutely and it leads to the question: Could V2G technology work with any bat- tery? What about phones or laptops? With rigorous regulation and a well thought out customer interface, we could potentially see any number of devices operate bi-direction- ally with the grid." PARTICIPANTS: Patrick Erwin, policy and markets director, Northern Powergrid (PE). Myriam Neaimeh, research project manager on EVs, Newcastle University (MN). Dr Marko Aunedi, research associate, Imperial College London (MA). Francisco Carranza, director of energy ser- vices, Nissan Europe (FC).