Skip to main content

EV tests to optimise their performance with power grids

Researchers at the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have released a technical report that could help improve the performance of electric vehicles (EVs) and the efficiency of the electric utility grids that power them.The report documents a series of test procedures designed to enable engineers, designers and utilities to evaluate the performance of various EVs and hybrids to optimise how they connect with electric utility grids today - and "smart grids" in the future.
April 26, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Researchers at the 5275 US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have released a technical report that could help improve the performance of electric vehicles (EVs) and the efficiency of the electric utility grids that power them.

The report documents a series of test procedures designed to enable engineers, designers and utilities to evaluate the performance of various EVs and hybrids to optimise how they connect with electric utility grids today – and “smart grids” in the future. As more vehicles with large batteries come into use and smart grid technology advances, grid operators in the future may be able to take advantage of the two-way flow of power from EVs and hybrids plugged into utility grids to smooth spikes in demand and improve the reliability of their systems. Evaluating today’s vehicle technologies will advance the goal of transforming the nation’s transportation system to maximize efficiency and use of clean energy.

Engineering vehicles capable of interconnecting to the power system for bi-directional power flow is a key component of emerging “vehicle-to-grid” systems, in which plug-in EVs communicate with the power grid to deliver electricity or modulate their charging rates. The global vehicle-to-grid (V2G) market is expected to grow at a rapid pace, reaching the US$2.25 billion mark in 2012 and accelerating to $40.4 billion by 2020, according to a new market analysis from GlobalData.

“This report offers the first nationally available set of test procedures for V2G applications,” NREL Director of Energy Systems Integration Ben Kroposki said. “Unleashing the potential of electric vehicles to optimise grid performance will be instrumental as the world moves to a smart grid with much higher use of renewables, energy storage and load control.

The NREL report, Interim Test Procedures for Evaluating Electrical Performance and Grid Integration of Vehicle-to-Grid Applications, is available at %$Linker: External 0 0 0 oLinkExternal this link Interim Test Procedures for Evaluating Electrical Performance and Grid Integration of Vehicle-to-Grid Applications false http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy11osti/51001.pdf. false false%>.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • VIDEO footage shows bridge replacement project in Rhode Island
    October 10, 2014
    A time-lapse video has been released showing the rapid replacement of the Barton Corner Bridge in Rhode Island in the US. Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) partnered with EarthCam to document the US$6.4 million rapid replacement of the Barton Corner Bridge. The construction project was completed during an 11-day period in August 2014 and can be seen in an exclusive time-lapse, released by RIDOT. Had RIDOT had used conventional methods, the bridge replacement would have taken two full constru
  • US plans alternative energy sources for transportation
    April 26, 2012
    The US Department of Energy (DOE) has published its first Quadrennial Technology Review, which identifies six key strategies to address current energy challenges. Crucially the review indicates that among the transport strategies, the greatest effort will be devoted to electrification of light-duty vehicles. While in the fiscal year 2011 only 9% of DOE’s research budget went to electric vehicles, this field will be given greater support in the coming years with the view of reducing US oil dependency in the
  • Cummins investing in sustainable power systems
    July 12, 2024
    Cummins is investing US$75 million in growing capacity for sustainable power systems
  • Ricardo shows KERS for diggers at bauma 2013
    January 6, 2017
    Engineering firm Ricardo is part way through a research programme to develop an advanced energy recovery system that can be integrated into an excavator’s hydraulic system. Known as the High Efficiency Excavator (HFX) project, the system uses a 5kg carbon fibre flywheel that is encased in a vacuum-sealed cartridge, which contributes to minimising friction. The flywheel is spun at speeds of up to 30,000rpm using a magnetic coupling, which is driven from a hydraulic motor. Power for the hydraulic motor comes