V2G Demonstration News

HONDA JOINS VEHICLE-TO-GRID TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE AND NRG ENERGY

12/05/2013 - TORRANCE Honda has joined a demonstration project for experimental vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology aimed at providing a potentially valuable energy storage resource to the nation's electrical grid while providing for more cost-effective ownership of plug-in electric vehicles.

The Honda technology builds off of the research conducted by the University of Delaware and now supported by NRG Energy, Inc. NRG and the University of Delaware, through their eV2g joint venture, came online early in 2013 with the world's first revenue-generating vehicle-to-grid project, demonstrating the controls, regulatory requirements, and market participation rules for selling energy storage from vehicles into the PJM Interconnection Regulation Market. Honda is supplying an Accord Plug-In Hybrid with added V2G capabilities to the University's Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus to jointly investigate the potential of this technology to benefit the electrical grid, vehicle owners and society.

Using smart grid technology, the V2G system is able to monitor the status of the grid to determine whether the grid requires additional power sources that can respond rapidly, or the grid requires power demands that can absorb transitional power supply. Such a system has the potential to reduce or eliminate the fluctuation of the grid, which can occur more frequently when renewable energy sources are introduced to the grid. Electric vehicle owners potentially benefit from supporting a more stable power grid, which can lead to reduced utility costs for the vehicle owner.

The Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid demonstration vehicle is equipped with a bi-directional on-board charger, which allows the vehicle propulsion battery to both charge from and discharge to the electrical grid. With an additional communication device, the vehicle receives signals from a grid operator via a charging station, and controls charge and discharge in accordance with the signals. When electric power is requested by the grid, the vehicle will discharge power from its battery. When the grid power supply exceeds demand, the vehicle proactively charges its battery.

"This technology has the potential to support both a cleaner and more efficient power grid and a more positive ownership experience for EV customers," said Steven Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "With V2G technology, a network of PEVs becomes essentially a distributed energy storage system. It makes for an even stronger value equation for plug-in vehicles, with benefits for both the community and the vehicle user."

"The participation of global automakers like Honda will help demonstrate and refine the technology," said Willett Kempton, professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment and Research Director of the University of Delaware's Center for Carbon-Free Power Integration. "The University of Delaware has been developing the technology so that vehicle batteries can be used not only for mobility but also for grid services. It is a big step toward a future with widespread availability of the technology to have Honda join our demonstration with their V2G-capable car."

"As the U.S. adds more intermittent resources to the grid, finding a lower cost energy storage technology that also benefits electric vehicle drivers is a great opportunity," said Denise Wilson, NRG Executive Vice President and President, New Businesses. "We see this demonstration by Honda as an important step in the development of vehicle to grid technology." The demonstration is conducted in the area served by PJM Interconnection, which controls electricity supply in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

CADILLAC ELR CONNECTS TO THE SMART GRID - November 19, 2013

DETROIT � The Cadillac ELR will be Smart Grid ready as soon as it comes off the production line. Using the luxury coupe�s extended range electric vehicle technology combined with OnStar�s cloud-based connection, the ELR will be able to communicate with the electric grid and potentially save energy.

ELR owners will have access to the OnStar RemoteLink Mobile App, which in addition to allowing drivers to check their vehicle�s operating systems and send remote commands, gives them access to electric vehicle specific functions. The EV-tailored app shows owners their vehicle�s current state of charge, electric range, electric miles driven and eMPG, or equivalency of electric miles per gallon.

The RemoteLink Mobile App also will allow ELR owners to control and schedule vehicle charging, including an option to charge during off-peak hours when electricity rates are lowest.

In addition to the RemoteLink app available today, OnStar is an enabler for solutions that may benefit drivers in the future.

�While RemoteLink is really our first Smart Grid service to be available for consumers, the same connection we use to enable the app�s EV functions can be used to open the door for more energy cost and load control benefits,� said Russ Eling, manager, Smart Grid and EV Services, General Motors.

OnStar has four unique Smart Grid APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, that utilities and third-party companies can work with to develop real-world solutions for the ELR:

• Demand response � This future service connects utilities to companies that have intelligent energy management products, allowing OnStar to manage energy use for ELR customers who opt in for the service. Benefits include saving money on energy costs and enabling more efficient use of the electric grid.
• Time-of-Use rates � OnStar can receive dynamic time-of-use pricing from utilities and notify ELR owners of the rate plan offers via email. Owners would be able to use OnStar to load the rate plans directly into their vehicle and access them to schedule charging during lower-rate periods. Charging data � OnStar can send and receive EV data including location-based EV data that identifies charging locations and determines potential load scenarios.
• Aggregated services � This solution allows electric service providers to manage the charging of participating vehicles in a given geographic area, with customer consent. This includes the ability to control charging on a large amount of EVs simultaneously. These services could potentially result in a more efficient use of clean energy.
• An example of an aggregated service solution would be charging with renewable energy. A regional transmission organization would send OnStar a signal letting it know that renewable energy is available on the electric grid. OnStar then uses this signal to manage the charging of one or multiple EVs in order to utilize the available renewable energy.

OnStar recently partnered with TimberRock Energy Solutions, Inc. using Demand Response to aid with TimberRock�s ability to store and charge with solar energy. OnStar�s Smart Grid research is made possible by the U.S. Department of Energy.

ELR owners will get access to OnStar services like Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Hands-Free Calling, Vehicle Diagnostics, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Assistance.

OnStar�s premium Directions & Connection package comes standard on the Cadillac ELR for one year.

Ideal Power Converters and NREL Achieve Breakthrough Vehicle to Grid Demonstration Market-Changing Technology Improves Economics of EV Fleets Tue, Oct 16, 2012 8:00 AM EDT http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ideal-power-converters-nrel-achieve-120000866.html

AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwire - Oct 16, 2012) - Ideal Power Converters (IPC), a developer of disruptive power converter solutions, is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has successfully demonstrated vehicle to grid (V2G) capabilities using IPC's bi-directional Battery Converter.

The NREL and IPC V2G demonstration is unique in that it not only proves technical capability, but also highlights its economic viability. IPC's Battery Converter will provide bi-directional power between the EV battery and a 480Vac power grid. The Battery Converter is based on IPC's patented indirect power converter topology and its Universal Power Converter Platform (TM), which uses a standard highly-efficient, low-cost hardware platform to address multiple markets with only embedded software modifications. This same hardware platform is already commercially shipping in the company's 30kW 480Vac photovoltaic (PV) inverter, which NREL is currently installing on a solar parking structure at their Vehicle Testing and Integration Facility.

The IPC Battery Converter weighs less than 100lbs and can be wall-mounted inside or outside and will begin shipping in 2013 following industry certifications. The Battery Converter product will be cost-effective with conventional EV fast chargers and offer higher charging efficiency (96.5% forecasted), lower installation costs due to its lightweight design, and V2G capabilities.

With support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity, NREL successfully integrated and used the new global fast charging standard SAE J1772 combo-connector interface between the Battery Converter and EV, enabling power flow and communications in a single wired connection. The SAE J1772 combo-connector standard has been endorsed by the majority of global automotive manufacturers and is expected to be available within a year on a variety of electric vehicles. Lessons learned from NREL's technology integration demonstration will be applied to a demonstration of V2G-capable electric vehicles integrated with a microgrid at Ft. Carson Army Base in 2013.