The Electric Nation vehicle-to-grid (V2G) project, which aims to demonstrate how EVs can be used to put power back into the electricity grid and be charged during periods of excess supply, has announced Scottish electric utility company Flexitricity as its first energy partner.
Electric Nation is being led by Western Power Distribution (WPD) and CrowdCharge, and is recruiting 100 Nissan EV owners in the WPD licence areas of the Midlands, South West and South Wales to take part in the trial. Currently, only Nissan EVs can be used for V2G charging due to their CHAdeMO technology.
The trial is offering free installation of V2G smart chargers worth £5,500 to Nissan EV drivers who live in the three WPD regions. CrowdCharge is recruiting 100 people for the trial to help distribution network operators (DNOs) and others understand how V2G charging could work with their electricity networks.
The project’s first energy partner, Flexitricity, aggregates distributed power generators as well as sites that consume power, in order to balance the load on the electricity grid.
During the initial stages of the Electric Nation V2G project, Flexitricity will simulate the conditions of the Balancing Mechanism – one of the main tools National Grid ESO uses to balance supply and demand on the electricity system in real time – to gather data and explore the potential for EVs to contribute to this energy system service.
According to Electric Nation, aggregation of assets is key to unlocking EV flexibility as it allows assets with low capacity, such as EVs, to provide grid services.
Andy Lowe, director at Flexitricity, said: “Flexitricity is pleased to be a flexibility optimisation partner for the Electric Nation V2G project. We are offering a pioneering opportunity for EV drivers to help balance the load on the electricity grid, and to be rewarded for doing this.
“This is providing a vision of the future when millions of EVs will be able to provide services to the grid, resulting in cost savings for car owners, reduced infrastructure spending for DNOs and energy generators, as well as helping the country to achieve its net zero CO2 targets.”
Electric Nation is using up to five different energy partners to ensure the trial is a more realistic simulation of a potential future scenario where streets may have a number of EVs using V2G chargers with different energy suppliers.
A selection of 25 applicants will be offered the opportunity to join the project. Potential participants can join with any electricity supplier and on any electricity tariff. However the best results will be gained from participants with a time of use and export tariff, said Electric Nation.
EV drivers will inform the CrowdCharge platform to state when they next need the car and how much energy they will need.
The project will optimise charging in several different ways: by using electricity to charge the EV at cheaper times; by exporting energy from the EV battery to power the home when electricity is more expensive; by diverting solar electricity to the car, with any surplus energy being exported to the grid; and by periodically receiving requests from Flexitricity to see if the EV charging pattern in the group can be adjusted to help balance the electricity grid.
By plugging in at specified times and putting energy back into the grid, project participants are expected to earn a minimum of £120, available over the one-year trial period from March 2021 to March 2022.
Over 400 EV drivers have applied to join Electric Nation so far, however recruitment remains open to ensure the project secures 100 participants that meet all the eligibility criteria.
