Smart homes begin on the driveway or on the roof . . .
Two of the largest contributors to global emissions are personal transport and the energy we need to run our homes. Instead of tackling them separately, we could combine that approach – which is where vehicle-to-grid and flexibility technology comes in.
The most recognisable solutions in decarbonising our homes and our lifestyles – or our businesses and operations – are often the most visible as well. Think an electric car or van on the roads, solar panels on roofs etc
But it’s in linking the various technologies together and creating a sustainability-focused ecosystem where the real differences can be made. And that can either at home or in business.
Beyond their obvious role in reducing exhaust emissions while in motion, EVs are increasingly being seen as crucial components of a broader energy ecosystem, one that could revolutionise how we generate, store, and consume electricity.
That ecosystem potentially starts with the car on the driveway (which, in purely energy terms is simply a battery on wheels, rather than a method of transport) which connects through a home charger attached to solar panels, a battery, a heat pump and potentially other devices all connected to a smart home management system. It is that management system that links everything together and optimises them all for the benefit of the household – with the end user in control of whether that benefit should be comfort, financial or environmental.
This eco-system is being developed by E.ON at our TestingLab facility in Germany, assessing and validating domestic electrical equipment, particularly home EV chargers, and how they interact with other smart home tech.
At a large scale E.ON is already doing similar things with the 10MW battery at our Blackburn Meadows renewable energy plant in Sheffield – the equivalent half a million mobile phone batteries fed by our biomass power station – and we’re also working with Quinbrook on constructing a major battery storage plant at the former Uskmouth power station in South Wales.
But that’s just the beginning. The next stage is using all those alternative power sources not only in the home or business, but in also making those power sources available to help balance the local power grid, charging when power is abundant and discharging back to the grid at times of peak demand.
Such an example is vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology which is in its infancy in terms of mass market rollout, but it has worked well in trials. In the UK, E.ON has trialled the concept with Nissan in Cranfield.
V2G works by allowing EVs to interact with the power grid and, rather than just consuming electricity, they can return power to the grid when it is most needed. This two-way flow helps to balance supply and demand on the network, for example contributing to the grid when wind and solar sources are under-producing, and then taking a feed back when power is plentiful again.
Timo Feger, Team Leader at the E.ON TestingLab, said: “Looking ahead, the role of companies like E.ON in the development of V2G technology will be pivotal. Our expertise in energy infrastructure and consumer-facing technology – as well as our relationship with technology, automotive and other manufacturers – positions us as key players in bringing V2G from concept to reality.
“As these technologies converge, V2G could become a standard feature of the modern energy landscape, offering a flexible and resilient way to integrate renewable energy sources into the grid while providing additional value to EV owners.”
Either with large installations, or large numbers of individual customers with car batteries, V2G has the potential to provide backup power to our ever-growing renewable energy network without the need for large infrastructure projects.
E.ON is one of the companies at the forefront of this development, working to make V2G a viable and widespread reality by the middle of the next decade. E.ON’s involvement in V2G extends beyond just the home environment and the company is also focused on public charging solutions, which are integral to the broader adoption of V2G.
In recent years, E.ON invested in and ultimately acquired gridX, a smart grid intelligence company. gridX’s software allows consumers manage the smart energy appliances in their home in the most efficient way, putting them in control to make decisions based on what’s most important to them – whether that is comfort at home, lower emissions or reducing costs.
For suppliers, gridX enables dynamic management of household devices at scale, reducing power consumption when the grid might be under strain and preventing blackouts or other grid stability issues.
Across Europe millions of households are becoming “prosumers” by not only consuming but also generating and storing energy which can be fed back into the grid. While those people are already seeing the benefits of a more connected relationship within their homes and with the wider energy system, the future is clear that integration is everything and as we move towards 2035, continued innovation and investment will be crucial in making such technology a widespread and integral part of our energy future.