It is a small pilot project, according to Arun Anand, founder and chief executive of Electric Miles, but he adds that V2G – vehicle to a national grid – charging is the future for ensuring optimum use of home charging equipment and reducing EV charging cost. The process basically means that you the car battery is considered simply an energy storage system whose energy can be sold back to the grid at an optimum price for the vehicle owner.
Meanwhile, Electric Miles’s Smart Energy Management system, which is now available can optimise when to charge your vehicle at the lowest cost or most desired period, said Anand who was presenting at the recent London EV show.
He said that the planned V2G will not only make money for vehicle owners but will help balance supply and demand for energy across a national grid when demand for energy is at its highest. While some energy provides report that their grid systems will be able to support the perceived steep increase in EV charging, there is still skepticism by EV owners. For this reason, potential EV owners might put off buying an EV because of concerns over price of energy and supply.
Anand acknowledged that there is still much work to be done to get V2G technology suitable for market launch. These include concerns about data security and setting out standard for such products and services.
As with any new technology, there will have to be a lot of collaboration between the players, from grid owners, power distributors and charging manufacturers.
