Vehicle to everything can help futureproof EV fleets, new GridBeyond paper says

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A new white paper looking at how EVs could revolutionise the way energy is managed and used through vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology is now available.

The paper looks at the impact of EVs in some of the world’s largest markets and what are the challenges and opportunities faced by each country

The paper, published by GridBeyond, looks at the impact of EVs in some of the world’s largest markets and what are the challenges and opportunities faced by each country.

It also looks at EV fleets and the opportunities for businesses to not only secure additional revenues but to further boost their green credentials by helping the grid to increase levels of renewables generation in the energy mix through V2X technology.

V2X is the overall term for different forms of bi-directional charging and discharging of the EV battery, including vehicle-to-grid (V2G), vehicle-to-building (V2B), and vehicle-to-load (V2L) have the potential to revolutionise the way we use and manage energy in transportation, homes and businesses. This means that when power supply is low and demand high, connected EVs can instead release power back into the electricity network or the site on which they are parked.

EV adoption is an important part of the transition to a low-carbon energy future, but rapid EV uptake will create challenges for the grid.

Michael Phelan, co-founder and chief executive at GridBeyond, commented: “The amount of new added demand for electricity will by itself become a challenge for grids all around the world, and in particular for grids that are constrained. With charge timing, the challenge is when consumers will charge their vehicles. In most grids, the peak hours are the ones right when people are arriving home from work, so if business fleets finish operations at 5pm and immediately plug their EV fleet in to charge, that is going to be difficult for the grid operator. However, with challenge comes opportunity. Given EVs are essentially a battery on wheels, they can be utilised as an energy storage system.”

“Price dynamics are already creating an opportunity for EV owners. We are helping some of our customers by finding the optimal tariffs to reduce their charging costs. By automating their systems to charge only when the electricity price has fallen to a given level, we are helping to reduce our customers’ costs.

“By going beyond optimisation and enabling bi-directional vehicle to grid (V2G) charging, these customers could send electricity back to the grid at times of peak demand. This creates a new revenue stream, by providing flexibility services when the price is right.”

To access the paper, click here.

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Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for nearly 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day. Natalie edits all the Fleet World websites and newsletters, and loves to hear about any latest industry news - or gossip.