California Considers Electric Car V2G Charging Tech for Grid Stability
The idea of using coordinated electric-car charging to stabilize the grid has been discussed for years, but is still in early stages of development. California regulators now hope to bring so-called "vehicle-to-grid" (V2G) technology into focus. V2G requires cars that can discharge power back into the grid, something that isn't widely available, but the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is expected to issue a decision calling for discussion of the feasibility of V2G, according to E&E News . The potential benefit of V2G is the ability to "balance" the grid by using fleets of electric cars to absorb excess electricity during periods of low demand, and discharge it during periods of high demand. This allows grid infrastructure to operate at a more stable pace, which saves wear and tear, and allows EVs to supplement power plants or renewable-energy sources when demand is especially high. That could help head off the rolling blackout...