In parallel with the development of electric vehicles, charging technologies continue to improve. One such innovation is smart charging technology or V2G. This technology has been actively developed for about ten years and is gradually being used in more and more electric vehicles. Therefore, now is the time to figure out what V2G technology is, how necessary it is and what are its advantages for car owners.
What is V2G
The abbreviation V2G hides the vehicle to grid designation. This is a technology that involves the use of a car as a kind of capacity for storing electricity. We are talking, of course, about electric cars.
Numerous studies have shown that the vast majority of personal cars are not used 95% of their time. Based on this, it was assumed that an electric car connected to the network can be charged with a minimum load of the network, and on the contrary, during peak hours, the electric car will be able to give off the electricity stored by its battery.
To implement V2G technology, special bi-directional charges are required, which can regulate the power transmission of energy in both directions (charge/discharge) by measuring the frequency of the current in the network. An external device is used to measure the frequency of the current, which transmits the received information to the charging station using a special connection. In turn, the charging station, having received the information, begins to work in the standard mode of charging the car or turns on the reverse mode, taking the "extra" energy from the electric car.
Mechanism of work
Probably many have noticed more than once that in the evening in the house the light dims and blinks. Why is this happening? The reason for this is the lack of electricity generated. In the evening or on weekends, when most people are at home, we turn on computers, televisions, microwaves, lights, etc.
The standard generator speed for a power plant is 50-60 rpm. With an increase in the load in the network, the speed slows down, as soon as the electricity consumption drops, the speed of the generators is restored. And at that moment, when the energy consumption is at a high level, and the generated energy is not enough, it would be nice to get additional energy from some third-party source. And such a source can be an electric car, giving the network part of its energy.
Note! If we consider using a simple example of the most popular electric car Nissan Leaf, then the vehicle-to-grid system works as follows. The car is parked, connected to the network. Its battery is 80% charged. At the moment when the network requires additional energy, the battery alternately gives and receives energy. In this case, the period of energy release lasts no more than 15 minutes and does not discharge the battery of the electric car below 30%.
What are the benefits for drivers?
Of course, this raises the question of the value of this technology for a particular electric vehicle owner. What is the benefit or advantage of this technology? The advantage here is that the owner gets the opportunity to charge his car at a lower rate, while the return (or sale) of electricity is carried out at a higher rate.
Specific figures may vary from country to country. For example, in the United States, it has been calculated that in this way the owner of an electric car can earn up to $ 4,000 a year. And Nissan experts have calculated that this technology will make it possible for a car owner to earn up to $ 1,000 a year.
Important! Also, an electric car with a charge return function can act as additional energy storage for a private house. For your information. A family of three consumes about 10 kWh per day. Thus, the considered the same Nissan Leaf, equipped with a 30 kWh battery, can provide a house with electricity for 3 days.
What electric vehicles can give charge back to the network
Almost all major manufacturers are promoting V2G technology (of course, these are Tesla, as well as Fiat Chrysler, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and others). One of the first electric cars that "learned" to give electricity back in 2012 is the almost legendary Nissan Leaf. Further, it is worth mentioning Nissan e-NV200, Nissan Ariya, Renault Zoe (first generation), Honda e. Tesla Model 3 also has two-way charging. Audi plans to implement V2G technology in the near future.
Are there V2G charging stations in Ukraine?
Today the majority of charging stations supporting V2G technology are located in the USA, Denmark, and the UK. Unfortunately, at the moment there are no bidirectional charging stations in Ukraine. Although many times - in 2018 and 2020 - Ukrenergo announced its intention to start implementing a project to create a network of bi-directional charging stations. However, it has not yet come to practical implementation. Therefore, the Ukrainian owner of an electric car cannot yet make money on the sale of a charge to the power grid.