Grid-Connected Electric Vehicles (EVs)

From the perspective of the power system, EVs are batteries on wheels. They add an additional source of distributed demand, requiring sufficient electricity generation and grid infrastructure to meet this. However they are also discussed as a source of distributed supply too, with so-called “vehicle-to-grid” (V2G) models aiming to use their batteries as sources of electricity discharge when and where this will add value.

This time-efficient 1-day briefing looks at EVs not from the transport perspective, but from the perspective of those required to “fuel” them: those involved in the supply and distribution of electricity. It is designed to provide a perfect introduction to the question: what are the impacts on electricity systems when EV markets start to grow to significant size? What size is ‘significant’ and what risks and innovation opportunities start to arise?