Fraunhofer looks into economic potential of bidirectional charging
A recent Fraunhofer study, commissioned by Transport & Environment, indicates that integrating bidirectional electric car chargers on a large scale could cut EU energy system costs by 8.6% by 2040. The research highlights the economic potential of electric vehicles as part of the electricity grid, acting as storage units. Since vehicles remain idle much of the day, they could use their batteries to store energy and return it to the grid as needed, providing a reserve capacity. Fraunhofer Institutes ISI and ISE examined this vehicle-to-grid (V2G) concept for Transport & Environment.
Researchers project that broad adoption of bidirectional charging could yield yearly savings of €22.2 billion in the EU by 2040, largely by capturing surplus renewable energy that would otherwise go unused. According to the study, by 2040, EVs could provide around 9% of the EU's annual electricity needs, effectively becoming the fourth largest electricity source. The Fraunhofer team suggests EVs could potentially cover up to 20% of peak electricity demand.
Bidirectional EV chargers could serve as "batteries on wheels," storing power during times of surplus and releasing it when demand is high. While technically feasible, Germany's current regulatory setup hinders such systems, unlike France and the UK, which have made more headway in enabling V2G technologies.
From 2030 to 2040, EU-wide V2G use could lead to savings exceeding €100 billion. With more renewable energy feeding into the grid, bidirectional EVs could reduce the need for stationary energy storage by up to 92% by 2040. Additionally, V2G could allow for a 40% increase in solar PV capacity across the EU.
Fabian Sperka, Vehicles Policy Manager at T&E, notes that while EVs are already steering road transport towards decarbonization, bidirectional charging offers further economic gains by reducing the need for dedicated energy storage for excess renewables. For individual German EV owners, V2G technology could cut annual electricity costs by up to 45%, translating to about €727 in savings, depending on factors like vehicle location, battery size, and solar access.
The study also allays concerns about battery wear, suggesting that V2G may extend battery life by up to 9%, as optimized charging cycles help maintain battery health.
Fraunhofer's findings indicate that V2G could be nearly cost-neutral in Europe, with savings from reduced energy expenses quickly offsetting the higher price of bidirectional charging equipment. However, achieving these benefits would require harmonized regulations across the EU. T&E stresses that a unified EU standard is essential to ensure all EVs are compatible with all chargers, maximizing V2G's consumer, environmental, and policy benefits.
Germany's decentralized electricity network and complex regulatory hurdles, like double grid fees, make V2G implementation more challenging. In contrast, countries such as France and the UK have fewer grid operators and a more advanced smart meter rollout, enabling faster adoption of V2G.
Original News Website:
electrive.com, transportenvironment.org, transportenvironment.org
Tags: #V2G #bidirectional charging #Transport & Environment #Charging stations