EV’s lead the way to balance the UK’s electricity grid

A trial has been started by National Grid through the Octopus Energy smart tariff to harness the power of Electric Cars (EV’s) to help stabalise the grid during hours of charging.

The trial will focus on how EV’s, when they are connected to their charger, can contribute to the continuous real time market known as the balancing mechanism, which ultimately ensures supply meets demand.

Using software developed by Octopus, they will connect all of their customers EV’s to the grid and allow the grid to adjust charging schedules in response to the real time demand.

The clever thing to all of this is that the customers charging preferences will still be met. EV owners will be encouraged to charge their cars at a much reduced rate of 7.5p/kWh (2 pence per mile) when its most advantageous for the grid.

Alex Schoch, Head of Flexibility at Octopus Energy Group, said: “Whilst we sleep, EV drivers are driving down grid balancing costs that are passed on to all customers – saving us all money. This is the ‘smart energy grid’ today – complete radicalisation of the way the system is balanced is here now.”

Claire Dykta, National Grid ESO Head of Markets, said: “Opening up access to the Balancing Mechanism for EVs and other technologies is an important step for extending consumer flexibility in a net zero world.

“This industry-wide trial will provide valuable information to our control room, to help enable the full time availability of electric vehicles in the Balancing Mechanism in future.”

We reported yesterday how long stay car parks, like airports, will allow the UK to tap into the EV’s stored capacity through “Park and Flex” schemes, where a large number of dormant electric vehicles would be used as the building blocks for one of the UK’s biggest flex batteries. This dynamic battery, fueled by thousands upon thousands of EVs could play a massive role in creating a new green energy supply without customers having to lift a finger.