£20 million offered for vehicle-to-grid charging trials

The government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles has announced that it is offering £20 million in funding for research and trials to develop ‘vehicle-to-grid’ charging technology.

Announced yesterday (9 July) the funding is being offered to projects which allow plug-in electric to draw power from a charge point, but also return it to the grid in order to create a ‘more flexible and efficient energy system’, when demand is high.

Vehicle to grid charging technology involves the use of a plug-in car’s battery for the storage of energy, which can be provided back to the grid at times of high demand

The funding from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) is being offered to pay for feasibility studies to investigate opportunities for the use of vehicle to grid technology, industrial research or experimental development and demonstrator trials to test the technology.

Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry, Claire Perry said: “The government is a world leader in tackling climate change and we are committed to investing in clean energy innovation to support the UK’s transition to a low carbon economy.

“Vehicle to grid technology provides another opportunity for the UK to showcase to the world our leading expertise in research and development which is at the heart of our ambitious Industrial Strategy. This competition could unlock significant economic benefits for the UK – helping to create jobs in this burgeoning sector while helping to reduce our emissions.”

Bidding

The competition process will start in the next few weeks with the aim of winners being notified in December and projects starting in early 2018.

Transport Minister Jesse Norman said: “Electric vehicles are already helping thousands of motorists cut their fuel costs, and now there is an extra financial incentive for motorists to go green.

“The number of ultra-low emission vehicles on our roads is at record levels, with the latest figures showing that there are over 100,000 plug-in cars and vans registered.

“The government’s ambition is that nearly all cars and vans on our roads are zero emission by 2050.”