V2Green Incorporated out of Seattle, Washington has announced a collaboration with Austin Energy out of Texas to test vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging of plug-hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The V2 Green technology will enable Smart Charging of PHEVs that are connected to the grid.
One of the criticisms in the past in regard to all electric or PHEVs has been the load that such vehicles may play on the aging electric grid is many vehicles were plugged in all at once. V2Green seeks to mitigate this power surge with its new technology that lets vehicles communicates directly with the grid.
The power companies can monitor charging conditions for vehicles equipped with the V2Green software and charge such vehicles in off-peak hours, spread out charging times so there are no spikes in energy usage and commit renewable energy resources to such vehicles.
For instance, since the high winds of Texas kick up a night, renewable wind energy from the Austin Energy GreenChoice program can be allocated to V2 Green vehicles plugged into the grid during the evening hours. The V2Green load management capabilities can also smooth out spikes in energy consumption and lower energy costs by only using off-peak power at the lowest rate.
V2Green is currently testing its system using six converted Ford Escape hybrids, three of which are fleet vehicles for Austin Energy and three of which are driven for personal use. If numerous all electric vehicles and PHEVs are to be added to the grid over the next few years, this kind of smart power management will be essential for the success of both the vehicles and the electric companies.