For context, the problem to be solved is presented by the Grid system.
Demand and Supply
In order to work the Supply of Electricity must match the demand. However, demand varies over the day, with high demand between 16:00 and 19:00 and very low demand during the middle of the night.
Demand and Supply are changing
The charging of Electric cars will change the pattern of demand for Electricity, as will the move from Gas heating to Electric heating. What’s the best time for Home charging?
Supply has changed from consistent supply from centralised fossil fuels production to variable dispersed supply from Solar and Windpower.
Consequently, a very much more dynamic system is needed!
Can the National Grid cope with Electric cars?
Smart Charging
V1G
The simplest case doesn’t require bidirectional charging at all — just something known as smart charging. Vehicles would be charged when there is lots of power available — when it’s windy or sunny, for example — and not when electricity demand is high.
Utilities can encourage this through variable pricing, which raises electricity prices when there’s a shortage of power and lowers rates when there’s lots available.
How electric vehicles could transform the power grid – CBC – July 2021
Octopus tariffs enable Smart charging
Their latest is Octopus Intelligent, up to 6 hours for 5p per kW hour.
See Nicolas Raimo’s video – July 2021
Join Octopus Energy as a new customer and receive a £50 discount for joining any Octopus tariff including the ones designed for Home charging. Also, have them donate £50 to keep this site running, please click through to the Octopus site.
What is bidirectional charging?
V2G
Up until now, most electric vehicles have been designed around a one-way charge, taking energy from the grid to charge their batteries and releasing it only to power the vehicle.
With bidirectional charging, vehicles are also able to discharge power from their batteries, feeding it back into buildings and the grid when plugged in.
How electric vehicles could transform the power grid – CBC – July 2021
V2G charging will be more effective than smart charging. This is due to the ability to link EVs together and put significant levels of energy back into the grid at peak times, like a huge decentralised power station.
V2G will therefore help to reduce the grid’s need for additional energy generation, typically supplied by fossil fuels at peak times, as well as reducing demand on electricity networks, and allowing EV drivers to use greener and cheaper electricity.
THE FUTURE OF VEHICLE TO GRID EV CHARGING – Electric Nation – September 2020
CCS System
The Combined Charging System (CCS) does not currently enable V2G, although the body promoting CCS, CharIN, has a roadmap for implementing Vehicle to Home (V2H) and then V2G into the CCS standard by 2025.
THE FUTURE OF VEHICLE TO GRID EV CHARGING – Electric Nation – Seoptember 2020
CHAdeMO system
Currently, only Nissan Leafs using CHAdeMo have been able to offer V2G.
Hyundi / KIA
The KIA EV6 supports two-way (bidirectional) charging just like Hyundai’s Ioniq 5. The EV6 can put out up to 3.6kW of power.
KIA’S EV6 IS A SMALL ELECTRIC CAR WITH BIG DREAMS – The Verge – March 2021
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