Bidirectional Charging & Advantages of Selling Surplus Energy Back to the Grid

Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular as people become more environmentally conscious. But what many people don't realise is that electric cars can also help solve the climate crisis. One way they do this is by selling surplus energy back to the grid. When most people think of electric cars, they think of the environmental benefits. But now there's another reason to switch to electric: earning money by helping to power our homes.

Electric cars are big batteries on wheels, and when they're parked, they can sell surplus energy back to the grid. This extra power can be used to help millions of households when they need it most. Electric cars are becoming more popular every day, and as more people switch, we can make a real difference in the fight against climate change.

According to Delta-EE's projections, by 2030 there will be roughly 14 million EVs on British roads and 84 million across Europe. There will be plenty of batteries on wheels to tap into then. Here we then need to exploit bidirectional charging.

Batteries with bidirectional charging technology allow consumers to store cheap off-peak or solar-generated power in a vehicle battery and then sell it back to the grid or straight into their homes during peak hours, when electricity is most expensive. There are, however, a few barriers that need to be overcome before bidirectional charging can become popular.

There are two primary methods to convert electric power from an EV into a house and save money. A stationary vehicle may be utilised in the same way as a home battery system with vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology. Solar energy may be utilised to power home equipment after the sun has set.

The second alternative is to sell power back to the grid at a premium above the usual rate; this method is known as vehicle-to-grid (V2G). The total cost of electricity, as well as its carbon footprint, is considerably lower than it was in the 1950s. V2G may save the UK energy system £3.5 billion each year, according to a 2018 study by OVO Energy and Imperial College London.

Many energy firms are attempting to figure out how bidirectional charging might be commercially viable. There are hundreds of V2G trials taking place across the world, mostly in Europe, in collaboration with grid operators and electric car and charger manufacturers.

Driver benefits

As part of a move to make the transition from fossil fuel cars more affordable, Ofgem is planning to make it simpler for electric vehicle drivers to sell the energy stored in their car batteries back to the power grid.

Electric vehicle drivers may earn money by effectively turning their cars into mobile power plants by sending electricity back to the energy network when demand on the energy grid reaches a peak under the proposal made by Great Britain's energy regulator.

If enough drivers take advantage of vehicle-to-grid technology to make money by recharging their car batteries, the UK may avoid building new power plants with generation capacity equivalent to up to 10 large nuclear power stations.

The National Grid's chief of future markets, Graeme Cooper, called Ofgem's smart charging scheme "a significant step" in keeping electric car costs down.

“There will be an uptick in demand for energy, so we need to ensure that we are future-proofing, putting the right wires in the right place for future demand,” he said.

“Smart charging essentially allows your car to ‘talk’ to the grid, using data to assess when is the best time for your car to charge,” Cooper added. “It’s a cheaper, more energy efficient and sustainable way of charging electric vehicles.”

The Future Market

In the next several years, bidirectional charging is expected to become even more inexpensive as it becomes more widespread and infrastructure is built. EV motorists, on the other hand, will need to be persuaded that recurring charging and discharging does not speed up battery deterioration.

The prospect of lower power bills and bidirectional charging are unlikely to encourage people to purchase an electric vehicle. Environmental motives, long-term running costs, and future legislation are more likely to induce customers to buy one. In the 2030s, petrol and diesel automobiles will be phased out, leaving people with no option but to switch over entirely to electric vehicles. However, getting consumers interested in V2G and encouraging them to make full use of their batteries is a win-win situation.

With a slew of electric cars launching, the race to provide bidirectional charging is getting hotter. At least two aftermarket companies have said that they will offer bidirectional home technologies in the US by late this year and 2023, respectively.

The question is whether the supplier solutions will be able to connect to these new bidirectional charging systems — at least initially. It's not a done deal yet, but it appears that the manufacturers want this to happen, and compatibility talks are now underway.