V2G technology can change the future of energy and mitigate climate change by allowing EV batteries to push energy back to the grid.
What is V2G?
V2G or “vehicle to grid” technology allows power to be pushed back from an electric vehicle battery into the electrical grid. The electric car can be charged or discharged based on how much energy is already being used nearby. Smart charging allows control of how much energy the vehicle is consuming. Blink already features different forms of smart charging—local load management can follow an equal distribution or first-in-first-served distribution. With equal distribution, the group of chargers manage the output by evenly redistributing the charge to each unit in use. With first-in-first-served distribution, the group of chargers manage the output by providing the maximum power a vehicle allows in order of arrival. For a more detailed explanation, watch our YouTube videos equal distribution and first-in-first-served on! V2G goes one step further than that, allowing the EV to push energy back into the grid to balance usage. According to Virta Global, the energy industry should be concentrating on three aspects of green technology: decarbonization, energy efficiency, and electrification. Decarbonization is just a term for using more renewable power that comes from nature, such solar, hydro, and wind power, and less from fossil fuels. Renewable energy brings up the issue of storage. While fossil fuel energy is easy to store, renewable energy is less so. Oil is easily kept in barrels—wind, the sun, and water power cannot. In fact, one of the most popular arguments against renewable energy is that it must be used locally. For example, hydro power from California can’t be used in West Virginia. Luckily, EV batteries are by far the most efficient form of energy storage! By storing renewable energy in EV batteries, it’s kept available for future usage, and V2G technology allows the battery to put that energy back in the grid when needed. A vehicle to grid charging device pushes energy out of the battery, back to the grid, and then on to where it’s needed most. But is that energy also mobile? Can it be taken where it’s needed? In March, 2020, Nissan demonstrated how energy from a Nissan Leaf battery could keep the lights and cash registers on in a 7-Eleven during a blackout. A fleet of EVs with batteries could power an entire stadium. What if they were deployed everywhere all over the country? Would the issue of storing and transporting renewable energy be solved? EV batteries may prove to be the future of renewable energy, not just for vehicles, but for homes, even in places where there isn’t a lot of natural renewable energy. As these batteries become more important, so does the ability to charge them. That’s where Blink comes in. With industry-leading equipment and a robust network of public charging stations, we continue to develop the charging infrastructure required to meet the growing needs of EV drivers. Blink’s diverse product line-up boasts advanced equipment and is driving the industry forward through innovation and passion.