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					</table>The Central Electricity Authority (<a href="https://cea.nic.in/?lang=en">CEA</a>) has suggested measures to standardize and ensure the interoperability of batteries to facilitate the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) with the grid through reverse charging.
The vehicle-to-grid (V2G) concept involves EVs supplying electricity back to the public power grid to meet energy demands. The CEA&#8217;s report on V2G reverse charging calls for the inclusion of provisions for reactive power compensation in the CEA&#8217;s Technical Standards for Connectivity to the Grid Regulations.
The global V2G market, valued at $10 million in 2022, is anticipated to experience significant growth, reaching $11.3 million in 2023 and projected to reach $59.2 million by 2030.
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In response to the <a href="https://powermin.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ministry of Power</a>&#8216;s request in March, the CEA formed a committee to develop guidelines for the reverse charging of EV batteries to the grid.
Opportunities from Surging EV Deployment
As EVs spend a significant portion (80-90%) of their lifetime parked, their inherent battery storage capacity positions them as an attractive and flexible solution for the power system.
The CEA report highlights this unique characteristic creates vast electricity storage capacity within EV fleets. Emphasizing their role, the report underscores that these EVs function as flexible loads and decentralized storage resources, providing additional flexibility to support power system operations.
However, it also acknowledges challenges in the ongoing development of EV charging infrastructure and integration. It points to the necessity for a comprehensive policy and regulatory framework that carefully considers the impact of added EV load on the network.
Distribution utilities grappling with high EV loads may face network congestion, voltage fluctuations, reactive power compensation requirements, increased peak load, and phase imbalances.
<ul>
<li>The CEA recommends a holistic approach encompassing standardization, interoperability, bidirectional charging systems, and optimizing grid infrastructure requirements to address these challenges.</li>
<li>It underscores the pivotal role of aggregators in participating in the electricity market through ancillary services. It outlines a detailed step-by-step process for aggregators, emphasizing the critical need for sufficient EV charging before participation in the V2G system.</li>
<li>Further responsibilities are highlighted for distribution companies (DISCOMs), emphasizing their role in providing electricity connections for EV charging infrastructure, implementing tariff structures, and ensuring proper operation and maintenance.</li>
<li>The report advocates for developing EV readiness plans by DISCOMs, supporting effective load management strategies, grid upgrade plans, and additional power procurement if required.</li>
</ul>
Synergies between Renewable Energy and EVs
Through intelligent charging infrastructure, when numerous EVs seek to charge simultaneously, the system redistributes them to allocate capacity. This enables charging all EVs by distributing available power across vehicles without overloading local feeders.
Network reinforcement becomes necessary when power is insufficient, especially overnight. With EV adoption, V2G strategies synchronized with renewable energy sources can minimize extra load impact on the power system and leverage synergies between EVs and renewables.
EV fleets can offer substantial electricity storage. However, optimal charging patterns depend on the specific energy mix, varying between high solar-based and wind-dominant systems.
If synergies are established, EVs as a flexible resource via smart charging approaches could reduce the need for investing in flexible, carbon-intensive fossil fuel power plants to balance renewable energy.
Despite EVs emitting no emissions when driven, their electricity often comes from fossil fuels. Transport electrification must align with power sector decarbonization, exemplified by Japan and Sweden, to maximize benefits.
V2G benefits are particularly significant in solar-based systems. Shifting charging to coincide with solar PV generation and implementing V2G can integrate higher solar shares, reducing the need for distribution grid investments.
For EV charging to complement solar, mid-day charging stations at workplaces and commercial premises are essential. Pre-cabling and smart chargers should be promoted in commercial buildings.
Smart Charging and Regulatory Support 
The report underlines the importance of smart charging infrastructure for large-scale renewable energy integration and the necessity for regulatory policies supporting the sustainable integration of EV charging systems.
Recognizing the cost-effectiveness of electricity as a low-cost fuel for the transport sector due to reductions in renewable power generation costs, the CEA notes that EVs&#8217; ability to store and return energy to the grid adds flexibility to power system operations.
Despite positive aspects, challenges such as increased peak demand, congestion in the distribution grid, and the requirement for distribution infrastructure upgrades for high-power chargers are acknowledged.
The report identifies technology standards, electric load management strategies, battery swapping, and advanced metering infrastructure as essential components for successfully implementing V2G services.
In response to the challenges, the CEA recommends the adoption of standardization, interoperability, bidirectional charging systems, and communication systems between mobility and the grid.
Other Key Recommendations 
The report recommends establishing charging hubs strategically to enable two-way interaction between mobility and the grid, enhancing EV charging infrastructure at workplaces during the vehicle&#8217;s stationary period of approximately 5-6 hours.
The recommendation also encourages Original Equipment Manufacturers to investigate the capabilities of V2G-enabled EVs for implementing reactive power compensation. This approach aims to maintain charged EV batteries while avoiding additional discharge-charge cycles.
As of the third quarter of 2023, EV sales in India <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/electric-vehicle-sales-q3-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached</a> 371,214 units, a year-over-year  increase of 40% compared to 264,781 units sold in the same period last year.

CEA Recommends Measures for EV-to-Grid Charging

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					</table>Electric car batteries could boost storage by injecting electricity into the grid during times of scarcity or store during periods of excess and meet short-term storage demand as early as 2030, a new study by <a href="https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leiden University</a> said.
The report studied the potential of achieving the goal by either setting up “vehicle-to-grid” or “second use” batteries.
The vehicle-to-grid approach would allow drivers to connect car batteries to the grid for short-term storage when needed. For instance, commercial fleets can inject power into the grid when at a depot.
The second use program would allow the drivers to sell or donate car batteries once they can no longer be used to power vehicles, which is usually when the battery’s capacity falls below 70-80%
The study quantified the global electric vehicle (EV) battery capacity available for grid storage using an integrated model which incorporates future EV battery deployment, battery degradation rate, and market participation.
Harnessing the potential of EV batteries will have critical implications for the energy transition and policymakers should be cognizant of the opportunities, the report said.
Increased participation can boost storage capacity
The report said even a low level of participation between 12% and 43% from drivers could make a big difference and is enough to provide short-term grid storage demand globally.
Participation and utilization rates of 50% for vehicle-to-grid and second use can result in a real-world capacity of 25–48 TWh by 2050, far higher than the short-term storage requirements estimated.
Changes in vehicle-to-grid participation rates of 23–96% by 2050 could influence this real-world capacity by as much as (-)24% to +21%. When second-use utilization rates vary from 10%-100%, the real-world capacity varies between (-)41% and 12%.
Taken together, vehicle-to-grid participation rate and second-use utilization rate could alter the real-world capacity in 2050 by (-)61% to +32%.
Need for incentives and regulations 
The real-world available capacity depends strongly on the vehicle-to-grid participation rate and the second-use utilization rates. The team urges that governments should introduce both incentives and regulations to ensure that the programs can take off.
This can include market-based efforts such as micro-payments for services to the grid, or regulations to require the connection of commercial fleets to the network while at depots.
Further regulations are required to ensure the required hardware and software solutions for EV integration. This may include smart controllers for consumers to facilitate easy market participation and communication of benefits to EV users.
The report pointed out that strong re-use regulations will also be necessary to ensure that used batteries are recovered and easily integrated into the grid.
Lastly, policymakers and researchers should aim to understand EV users’ behavior to understand the key factors preventing them from participation.
Last month, EV sales in India <a href="https://mercomindia.com/ev-sales-clocked-record-one-million-units-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached</a> a record one million units in 2022, a jump of over 300% against the 322,877 units sold in 2021.
Read Mercom’s latest <a href="https://mercomindia.com/industry-electric-vehicle-sales-build-blockbuster-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EV Outlook</a> for insights into what the industry expects in 2023.

Study Says EV Batteries Can Meet Short-Term Grid Storage Demand by 2030

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