EVs to drive Canberra energy innovation

Canberra will have one of the largest EV vehicle-to-grid (V2G) trials in the world.

About $2.4 million in funding to Canberra energy retailer ActewAGL to demonstrate V2G services in Australia has been announced by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) on behalf of the Australian Government.

V2G technology allows EVs to discharge electricity back to the grid or provide services to improve grid security while EV owners may also benefit from financial incentives of using their vehicles for such purposes, thereby reducing their overall vehicle costs.

Auckland energy company Vector has been running a smaller scale trial to test vehicle-to-home (V2H) uses for similar grid security reasons since about September 2019, extending it a month later for about 18 months to more than 120 EV users and installing smart chargers in their homes.

The Realising Electric Vehicle-to-Grid Services (REVS) project will see 51 Nissan Leafs deployed across the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to test and provide V2G services. The EVs will be part of the ACT Government fleet and when plugged in will provide frequency control ancillary services (FCAS) to the National Electricity Market (NEM).

FCAS has traditionally been provided only by coal, gas and hydro-electric power stations – with batteries a more recent innovation – used by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to maintain the frequency on the electrical system and provide a fast injection or reduction of energy to maintain grid stability.

The project will be the first time a fleet of vehicles using bi-directional chargers will supply FCAS to the NEM and thereby provide services that improve energy security and avoid blackouts.

It will also be the first time an EV fleet will be paid for providing electricity services, testing new revenue streams that could improve the total cost of ownership of EVs.

Fleets make up more than half of all new vehicles sold annually in Australia and trial results will help inform future procurement choices of private and public sector fleet managers.

ActewAGL will be working alongside a consortium of academic, government, transport and electricity system partners, including the Australian National University (ANU) for research, charging infrastructure provider Jet Charge, electricity network owner Evoenergy, fleet manager SG Fleet, the ACT Government and Nissan, all contributing a further $3.86m.

Accenture is supporting the REVS project with project management services and insights on the global EV landscape.

The 51 Leafs will replace internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles used for work around the ACT. The vehicles will be used normally during business hours but will be plugged in when not on the road which allows for about 70% availability for providing grid services, ARENA says.

Using trial data, the ANU will lead the development of a roadmap for commercialisation of V2G technology for all stakeholders.

This trial is an important first step in demonstrating how EVs can support the grid, ARENA chief executive Darren Miller says.

“ARENA is focused on commercialising technologies than can aid the integration of EVs into the electricity system.

Given its potential capability to provide similar services as household batteries, V2G has the opportunity to transform a vehicle into a revenue generating device for consumers, through access to energy and network service markets and also to provide power solutions for the grid.

“As EV uptake grows, this project will help to unlock a future where EVs are just as critical a piece of the electricity sector as the transport sector.”

The REVS project will include a major study of the economic, electrical and behavioural learnings of V2G arising from the trial, Miller says.

ActewAGL product and strategic energy deployments group manager Todd Eagles says: “What’s unique about the REVS project is that we have valuable contributions from across the electricity and transport supply chains.”

The REVS project will run until February 2022.