Renault has commenced the first large-scale pilot scheme in reversible electric charging technology in Europe.
Vehicle-to-grid charging, or reversible charging, adapts the charging and discharging of electric vehicle’s batteries in relation to the needs of the user and the grid supply of available electricity.
When the electricity supply exceeds the demand, charging will reach its maximum level. Vehicles will be able to supply electricity to the grid during peaks in consumption, therefore, serving as units of temporary energy storage. The goal is to optimize the supply of local renewable energy and reduce infrastructure costs.
Renault is hoping the program will determine if the venture is feasible on a larger scale by examining if there are technical and economic advantages of an onboard solution in electric vehicles, if there is value in the services provided for the local and national electricity grids and what the basic requirements are for an industrial-scale roll-out.
The electric vehicles used for the program will be fitted with technology using an onboard reversible charger which is a means to reduce the related cost of charging terminals.
The plan is for a fifteen-strong fleet of Zoe models with vehicle-to-grid charging capabilities to be introduced throughout 2019. Utrecht in the Netherlands and Porto Santo Island in the archipelago of Madeira, Portugal are the first to host the pilot schemes with France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark next to join the program.
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