10 Sep Charge for Change: EVs as Grid Assets

Yesterday's CleanTX Power Lunch, dispelled any misconceptions you might have about electric vehicles (EVs) serving as an asset to the electric grid. The two presenters, Sean Mitchem and Yaxi Liu, both of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, shared their work on two recent V2G (vehicle to grid) projects that demonstrated we have the technology to do it now. Both projects are the first of their kind to be done and used only off-the-shelf technology. The projects worked with fleets of vehicles that are viewed by the electric grid as a single resource. Both the vehicle charge management and bidirectional charging (vehicle batteries charged by and supplying electricity to the grid) were explored in their research.

Project 1 – SPIDERS, Fort Carson, CO

This US Army vehicle fleet project began in 2012 at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs. The focus for the army base centered on studying the operation of a microgrid with electric vehicles and a large PV array. The fort possesses the capability to operate as a microgrid separate from the surrounding system. The idea was to test self-reliance and mission readiness during power outages on the grid surrounding the base and for remote base operations. They used DC fast chargers and had diesel generator back-up as part of the project as well.

Project 2 – Frito-Lay Fleet, Plano TX

The Frito-Lay plant in Plano became ground zero for the first frequency response regulation project with EVs just last year. The Frito Lay fleet vehicles are the first EVs to provide ancillary services to ERCOT and get paid for it. The EVs were set up with a 240-V outlet (also used for appliances like dryers and ovens) and the additional equipment to allow their battery packs to supply power to the grid when load demands exceed electricity generation on the grid. Using this approach means electric utilities can meet demand without increasing centralized generation (power plant) capacity.

Their conclusions were a resounding, “It works!” We have the technology now to integrate EVs as resources into our electric grid. The key barrier is economics. The current Texas electric grid rate structure is not yet favorable for widespread use of EV ancillary services.