CEA Propagates the Idea of Vehicle to Grid

In March, the Ministry of Power had requested the CEA to frame guidelines for reverse charging of grid from batteries of electric vehicles (EVs). Accordingly, a committee was constituted by the CEA to analyze various aspects of reverse charging from EVs and present it to the committee, which saw participants from IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Roorkee, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL), EVSE and EVs OEMs to prepare this report on EVs utilization for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services.

The report on the findings provides a brief overview of the services that EVs can provide to the power system through smart charging, key challenges, and important factors to enable deployment, implementation requirements and way forward for the smooth integration of EVs in the grid. The report looks into bidirectional V2G technologies and on their role in integrating higher renewable energy, while providing services to the grid.

Therefore, the report places thrust on planning and operation of the distribution grid with integration of EV charging infrastructure, that is, smart charging; grid support services from electric vehicles to facilitate large-scale renewable energy integration; technologies and standards for EV charging infrastructure’s integration with distribution grid; policies and regulations for EV charging infrastructure and integration with distribution grid; identifying the key challenges and recommendations for efficient, effective and sustainable integration of EV charging infrastructure in India.

EV fleets for electricity storage 

The cost reductions in renewable power generation make electricity an attractive low-cost fuel for
the transport sector. A significant scaling up in electric vehicle (EV) deployment represents an opportunity for the power sector as well. Since, cars including EVs, typically spend about 80-
90% of their lifetime parked, these idle periods, combined with battery storage capacity, could
make EVs an attractive flexibility solution for the power system. Therefore, EV fleets can create
vast electricity storage capacity. They can act as flexible loads and as decentralized storage
resources, capable of providing additional flexibility to support power system operations.

Smart charging during high EV load

The continued development of EV charging infrastructure and its integration will depend on the
policy and regulatory framework, which must also consider the repercussions of the added EV
load in the network, such as increased peak demand and congestion in the distribution grid etc.
Network congestion, over voltage and under voltage issues, requirement of reactive power
compensation, increase in peak load, phase imbalance issues are just a few of the many different
challenges that may be witnessed by distribution utilities with high EV loads. Further, installation
of the high-power chargers may warrant upgradation of the distribution infrastructure.

In this respect,the implementation of smart charging is a key enabler to ensure EV uptake is not
constrained by network. Smart charging would enable the distribution utility to control the EV load, thereby helping them shift the charging load to off-peak periods, which could help in deferring grid upgradation requirements. Also, with smart charging, EVs could adapt their charging patterns to flatten peak demand, fill load valleys and support real-time balancing of the grid by adjusting their charging levels. Along with leveling of the load, smart charging would help in increasing the utilization of renewable energy for EV charging.

In such scenario, key factors like standardization, interoperability, bidirectional charging system,
synergies between mobility and the grid, robust bidirectional communication system, customer incentives, tariff design, optimizing of grid infrastructure requirements, integrated planning of
power and transport sector, enable revenue stacking for EVs in different markets, addressing issues of battery degradation, EV load management, strategies pertaining to battery swapping, use of second life batteries, advance metering infrastructure, optimally locating the charging station from both a mobility and a power system perspective etc. may play a major role in the utilization of EVs for V2G services.

The smart charging means adapting the charging cycle of EVs to both the conditions of the power
system and the needs of vehicle users. With smart charging, there is certain level of control over
the charging process, wherein EVs could adapt their charging patterns to flatten peak demand, fill
load valleys and support real-time balancing of the grid by adjusting their charging/ discharging
levels.

CEA Recommendations

Following this analysis, the CEA has made several recommendations on V2G. These include bidirectional charging system with standard and open source protocols, changes in various Indian standards pertaining to V2G, controllable charging and discharging via central monitoring system for providing synergies between mobility and the grid, design of smart charging strategy to fit the power mix, complementing grid charging with storage at charging points or battery swapping, advancement of integrated planning of power and transport sectors to avoid network congestion, building charging hubs in optimal locations to facilitate bi-directional flow between mobility
and the grid, augmentation of EVs charging facility at workplaces as the vehicle is parked idle for
around 5 to 6 hours.

It also suggests OEMs to explore the capabilities of V2G-enabled EVs in executing the reactive power compensation, leaving the EV batteries charged and at the same time does not expose
them to additional discharging–charging cycles.

The global vehicle-to-grid market size was valued at USD 10 million in 2022. The market is estimated to grow from USD 11.3 million in 2023 to USD 59.2 million by 2030, boasting a CAGR of 26.6% during the forecast period.

In the United States, a few pilot projects of V2G are in the works already and entail trials by Toyota and General Motors. Britain also has its in program in place dedicated to V2G.