Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas in the United States, accounting for about a third of all emissions. We can quickly reduce those emissions by electrifying the vehicles, but there’s only one hitch: we’re not generating enough power right now.
“If all transport were electric, we would effectively double demand,” says Matthias Preindl, an EV specialist at Columbia Engineering. “And the grid isn’t built to withstand that.”
Despite some investment and expansion since the 1950s, the U.S. grid has a fleet of mostly aging generators and maximum transmission loads due to traffic jam. To make matters worse, extreme weather events such as heat wave and Forest fires more than one molten power cable.
According to a Research 2020. But what if EVs themselves could be part of the solution, adding more power to the grid? Columbia News talked to Preindl, a professor of electrical engineering, and Daniel Bienstocka professor of applied physics and applied mathematics, as well as operations research and industrial engineering.
Vehicles connected to the grid (V2G)
By 2030, some 145 million electric cars, buses, vans and vans will be on the way. Sort. On average, drivers park 95 percent of the time. With nearly 5 billion dollars with federal money recently allocated to build a nationwide network of EV charging stations along interstate highways, all of those idle EVs can operate through connected vehicle technology grid (V2G) — idea experts say could transform an already overburdened power grid.
V2G technology involves using a two-way charger to transfer unused energy from an electric vehicle’s battery to a smart grid. When an electric vehicle is charged, the AC (alternating current) electricity of the grid is converted into the DC (direct current) of the battery – which is then used to run the vehicle. Bidirectional chargers can convert DC to AC and feed it into the grid from the EV’s lithium-ion cells. It can also simultaneously control how much electricity goes into or out of the battery.
“In terms of potential, electric vehicles could become the largest deployed, distributed energy storage vehicle,” Preindl said. “Together, they can provide more electricity than all conventional power plants combined.”
The extra electricity V2G technology feeds back into the grid could power homes and businesses in states like California heavily dependent on renewable energy to access electricity 24-7. Typically, green energy efforts are mainly focused on using large wind or solar farms located in remote areas. These farms require new and expensive transmission lines to power areas with high energy demand.
And wind and solar energy can experience real time large variationspeak Bienstockis also a grid dynamics specialist at Columbia Engineering.
“Today, there is no massive regenerative penetration, change is resolved in real time using conventional generation,” he said. “The large, real-time variation of the currents can be challenging and requires the proper setup of fast and adequate transmission resources.” Upgrading equipment to that extent is no small feat, meaning that the potential for change driven by renewables will continue to be a concern. “V2G, along with a more fully distributed generation, is one of the most viable solutions going forward,” says Bienstock.
Cars with V2G
To date, only four electric cars available on the market are compatible with V2G – Nissan e-NV200, Nissan LEAF, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVand Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV. This year, Volkswagen, Ford and General Motors also gradually launched EVs are compatible with two-way charging. Industry experts predict that the V2G market will 48 percent increase in 2027.
But building two-way power into the system isn’t just a numbers game; Technical barriers also hinder the widespread adoption of V2G. For example, frequently using V2G to charge and discharge EV’s lithium-ion batteries can shorten their lifespan.
Does V2G reduce battery life?
“From a grid perspective, it is most useful when many EVs are connected for long periods of time and when they use low to moderate charging energy,” says Preindl. “That’s actually better for EVs. From a technical point of view, there’s a lot V2G can do to minimize battery degradation.”
In addition to the risk of the lithium-ion battery being damaged, conventional designs of bidirectional or V2G chargers are also very expensive. There are two types of V2G chargers: onboard and offboard. Most cars use a built-in DC charger. A few of the V2G chargers that hit the market have only appeared online in the past few months; These early designs were often board-mounted, wall-mounted, and also lacked standardization, while the industry caught up with the technology.
But researchers are making progress in designing cost-effective V2G onboard chargers. Preindl’s lab is developing systems that can achieve 99 percent efficiency with as low as one percent per kilowatt. “Two to five times cheaper, with two to five times lower energy loss than current designs,” he said.
V2G . capabilities
While car companies are trying to scale up V2G technology, there is still a long way to go before it can help decarbonize the power grid. Last month, about 15 utility companies in 14 states announced that they would be rolling out pilot V2G electric school bus programs, according to World Resource Institute.
But despite the utility companies’ small initiative in 2021, that proves how effective V2G technology can be in reduce emissionsPolicy experts say more investment is needed to make the technology accessible.
“Utilities not only need to upgrade the grid to new transmission lines and physical transformers, but also invest in smart grid technology to gauge when electricity needs to be released or absorbed. “. Steven Cohen, an expert in environmental science and policy at Columbia’s School of Public and International Affairs. “The policy hurdle facing V2G technology is basically the lack of money.”
“The key requirement would be a financial plan in which the federal government could fund the initial outlay,” he continued. “Thereafter, local bidders will pay for operation and maintenance as the technology is put to use. My prediction: New York State and California will be the first to invest. ”
The source: Columbia University
