Anert installs demo project on Vehicle-to-Grid technology

The Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (Anert) has installed a pilot project on Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology at its headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram to introduce the evolving concept to the public.

Anert describes the concept as a game-changing one that transforms electric vehicles (EV) into mobile energy assets. V2G-enabled EVs can send power back into the grid, helping balance energy supply and demand. EVs charged during the daytime at relatively lower tariffs can export the power back to the grid during peak hours, AnerT officials said.

Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty inaugurated the demonstration project at the Anert headquarters at PMG on Friday.

According to Anert, the demonstration project is being implemented in association with the India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) which has technical assistance from the University of Delaware. The International Sustainable Energy Forum is also supporting it.

“If we can indigenise that technology, then the costs will also come down significantly. Now the technology is imported,” Anert director Narendra Nath Veluri said.

Mechanism involved

The bi-directional energy transfer between EVs and the grid is is made possible by using a bi-directional charger and bi-directional modular power unit (BMPU). The first is an advanced EV charger capable of two-way energy transfer. BMPU converts AC to DC during charging and the reverse during discharge.

Vehicles with V2G facility can be directly connected to the bidirectional charger for charging and discharging power to the grid. EVs having this facility are still rare.

One of the EVs owned by Anert was used for the purpose by replacing the DC Fast charging option with a BMPU. As part of the demonstration, Anert officials are also explaining the process behind retrofitting the e-vehicles.

The Anert demo project also coincides with a draft regulation on renewable energy prepared by the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission which seeks to introduce the concept in Kerala’s rapidly changing renewable energy sector. The draft notes that distribution licencees should facilitate the seamless integration of V2G-enabled EVs into the grid, subject to conditions.