A Danish-led consortium aims to advance the technology of EV grid integration. Partners in the Parker project include automakers Nissan, Mitsubishi and PSA, as well as the Technical University of Denmark and several electric utilities.

EVs can theoretically help to stabilize the electrical grid by charging their batteries when there is surplus power, and returning power to the grid when there is a power shortfall. Nissan, Mitsubishi and PSA have already implemented vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology in pilot programs. However, a global rollout of grid-integrated vehicles will require universal standards to allow EVs of all makes to provide electricity to local power grids.

Parker’s objectives are to demonstrate that a fleet of EVs can support the power grid by becoming a vertically integrated resource, and to reduce market and technological barriers to encourage further commercialization.

The Parker project will systematically test and demonstrate V2G services across car brands, and will identify economic and regulatory barriers as well as the economic and technical impacts on the power system and markets.

“It is important to have a common definition of what the grid-integrated vehicle is, as it ensures that cars, across contemporary brands of series-produced vehicles, have the technical capabilities required to optimally support the grid,” said Parker Project Manager Peter Bach Andersen.

Source: Parker