EVs Poised to Become Key to Grid Stability, Accelerating Climate Transition – but challenges Remain
Brussels, Belgium - The future of the energy transition may rest not with large-scale infrastructure projects alone, but with the collective power of electric vehicles (EVs), according to recent research and a new interview with energy expert Bart van den Ende. Emerging “vehicle-to-grid” (V2G) technology is demonstrating the potential for EVs to act as mobile energy storage units, stabilizing power grids, reducing costs, and accelerating the adoption of renewable energy sources.
The shift comes as the EU faces increasing pressure to meet enterprising climate goals. While traditionally focused on large-scale battery storage and grid reinforcement, a growing body of evidence suggests EVs can play a pivotal, and surprisingly impactful, role. Van den ende’s interview, conducted with TNW Founder Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten and showcased in Kia’s all-electric EV9 – the frist model equipped with bidirectional charging – highlights this potential. A fully charged EV9, boasting a 99.8kWh battery, could power a household for approximately one week.This isn’t just theoretical. A recent study published in ScienceDirect demonstrated the economic benefits of EV-facilitated solar energy sharing between neighbors, finding potential cost reductions of 1.2 cents per kilowatt-hour for solar-owning homes and 3.6 cents for their neighbors.
Though, the most critically important impact could be felt at a macro level. A fraunhofer study commissioned by Transport & Environment (T&E) projects that widespread adoption of bidirectional charging across the EU could reduce annual energy system costs by 8.6%, equating to €22.2 billion in savings by 2040. Even by 2030, savings are projected at 5.5%, or €9.7 billion annually. Cumulatively, between 2030 and 2040, this could translate to a staggering €175.45 billion – nearly matching the EU’s entire 2023 budget.
The study further reveals that EVs could supply up to 9% of Europe’s annual power, becoming the fourth largest power supplier. During peak demand, they could provide 15-20% of instantaneous electricity needs, effectively functioning as a massive, distributed virtual power plant. This capability could also unlock further renewable energy integration, enabling an additional 430 GW of solar PV capacity by 2040 – almost doubling current EU capacity. The need for dedicated stationary battery storage could be reduced by up to 92% by 2040, and backup power plant capacity by 126 GW.
Potential savings in grid expansion costs are estimated at €9.8 billion by 2040, though researchers caution that V2G technology should supplement, not replace, necesary grid upgrades.
Despite the promising outlook, significant hurdles remain. Infrastructure progress, standardization of V2G technology, and the establishment of clear regulatory frameworks governing safety and fair energy trading between EV owners and utility companies are critical.
Currently, the development of this technology is largely driven by community-led experiments. ongoing research,including studies on offsetting energy loss during peak hours and developing heterogeneous energy sharing across communities,are paving the way for wider adoption. These initiatives, researchers believe, are key to pushing the EU past the energy transition tipping point and towards rapid, widespread implementation of V2G technology.
Sources:
Kia EV9: https://www.kia.com/nl/modellen/ev9/ontdekken/
ScienceDirect study on EV-optimized solar sharing: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096014812401930X
Transport & Environment (T&E) Fraunhofer study: https://www.transportenvironment.org/articles/batteries-on-wheels-the-untapped-potential-of-ev-batteries
ScienceDirect study on offsetting lost energy: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148124009650
MDPI* study on heterogeneous
