Vehicle-to-grid: the car as a home battery. Is this the future? by Stichting Gelijkspanning NL
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), fact or fiction? Watching back recording
Is the electric car the solution to the full power grid? Can the home battery soon leave the house with the advent of electric vehicles?
There is a lot of talk about Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), but how real is this technology? During a fascinating lecture, Henry Lootens of Stichting Gelijkspanning Nederland (SGSN) will shed light on the current state of affairs.
Lootens, an expert on DC voltage, addressed the technological possibilities and limitations of V2G. He discussed how electric cars can not only store energy, but also feed it back to the grid. This can help balance energy consumption, especially as power demand continues to grow. Titled "Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), fact or fiction?", he elaborated on the benefits and challenges of this innovative technology.
Lecture:
The lecture answered questions such as:
- What is the role of electric cars as home batteries?
- Which cars support V2G technology, and how can they contribute to the power grid?
- What needs to happen politically and technologically to make V2G a reality?
Henry Lootens also explained how cars can feed energy back through different mechanisms: Vehicle-to-Grid, Vehicle-to-Load and Vehicle-to-Home.
With a growing number of cars already supporting (partial) feed-in, such as the Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen ID.3, and Polestar models, the future seems closer than ever. But there are still bumps to overcome.
Henry Lootens
As the newest and most tech-savvy member of the Stichting Gelijkspanning Nederland, Henry has a strong, passionate belief in DC technology. From university to his working life and at the Stichting Gelijkspanning Nederland, Henry has spent his entire professional development and career surrounded by DC.
And it all started by chance.
During his second year of electrical engineering, a university lecturer offered Henry a project based on DC technology: a solar-powered boat. A modest project that led to a passion for DC that continues to this day. This in turn led to apprentice placements in DC-related industries, to employment in the DC field, and eventually to his involvement with the Stichting Gelijkspanning Nederland.
During his time with the foundation, Henry has built a strong network of like-minded knowledge experts and technical installers. He positions himself and the foundation as a source of knowledge and expertise for the everyday reality of successful DC projects.
Firmly believing that DC fits all aspects of the energy field, from small integrated systems to the national grid, Henry makes it his mission to increase the visibility and successful application of DC technology in the Netherlands and the world.
In addition, some technical work needs to be done of course, cars need to be equipped for it and we need to start installing - more expensive - bi-directional charging stations.
These are still expensive now, but Henry predicts that if bi-directional charging becomes mandatory they will cost less than 3,000 euros within two years. Because nothing brings the price down like economies of scale.
Left:
DC Foundation Netherlands https://gelijkspanning.org/