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Can the V2X dream become reality?

GM’s V2X lead Ty Jagerson talks through the challenges and benefits of vehicle-to-everything charging.

On the Catalyst with Shayle Kann podcast this week:

Picture millions of EVs plugged into their charging docks, working in concert to relieve stress on the world’s power grids. They can reduce load and save customers money, or even inject stored energy back onto the grid. They can back up renewables when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine. 

Some of that can already be achieved by managed charging, or V1G. Another piece of the puzzle is what’s called vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, which is available today but mostly in pilot programs. There’s also a third technology that’s starting to gain traction called vehicle-to-home, which uses an EV battery to power a building, just like a stationary battery. But to bring the full vision to fruition, you need to add what’s called vehicle-to-everything, or V2X.

There’s reason to think this V2X dream could become a reality. A few examples are already happening at small scale. And when they reach larger scales, the cumulative impact could be big. A recent Nature study found that by 2030 the total battery capacity across the world’s mobile batteries could be more than 2 terawatt-hours, climbing to more than 30 terawatt-hours by 2050.

But first, these technologies need to overcome some big barriers: costly grid upgrades, the possibility of prematurely degrading batteries and drivers worried about being left without a charge, just to name a few. 

So what will V2X actually look like?

In this episode, Shayle talks to Ty Jagerson, leader of V2X at GM. They cover topics including:

  • The contracts GM is signing with customers to manage their charging.
  • Reassuring EV owners that managed charging is not going to leave them without a charge.
  • The compensation EV owners could get for V2G and whether the value earned will be worth the costs.
  • How V2G interacts with time-of-use charges.
  • Whether V2G will be more valuable for capacity or energy markets.
  • Assessing the possibility that V2G will degrade batteries and violate manufacturers’ warranties.

Recommended resources:

  • Canary Media: Is ​‘vehicle-to-everything’ charging ready for prime time?
  • Union of Concerned Scientists: EVs can support power grid reliability and reduce costs. Here’s how.
  • Catalyst: Will charging infrastructure be a bottleneck for electric vehicles?

Catalyst is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media.

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Catalyst is supported by Antenna Group. For 25 years, Antenna has partnered with leading clean-economy innovators to build their brands and accelerate business growth. If you’re a startup, investor, enterprise or innovation ecosystem that’s creating positive change, Antenna is ready to power your impact. Visit antennagroup.com to learn more.

Catalyst is supported by RE+. RE+ is more than just the largest clean energy event — it’s a catalyst for industry innovation designed to supercharge business growth in the clean energy economy. Learn more: re-plus.com.