Roanoke Electric Cooperative is working with Fermata Energy to pilot the first electric vehicle (EV) charging system equipment to meet the North American standard for two-way current, as verified by Underwriters Laboratories. Roanoke Electric is seeking to unlock the value of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration with a Nissan Leaf, one of the most widely sold and affordable EVs in the market.
The project is designed to determine the additional financial value of using the batteries on-board an electric vehicle when the car is parked at its home base. Fermata Energy’s V2X system has already demonstrated an ability to reduce the peak demand of buildings where it is installed. With this application and others, the value streams developed through this partnership could be significant for Roanoke Electric Cooperative’s member-owners, making the option to go electric more affordable while helping the utility use its grid more efficiently.
“We are engaging our member-owners to make a rapid shift to a connected technology-driven future, filled with tremendous economic advantages and opportunities,” said Roanoke Electric Cooperative CEO Curtis Wynn. “With a bidirectional charger, electricity stored in an electric vehicle’s battery can further Roanoke Electric Cooperative’s efforts to operate a more efficient electrical system — similar to the way the 2,000 plus smart thermostats and water heater controls are currently doing.”
Excerpted from original article by Kristi Brodd, Advanced Energy. Read the full article from CleanTechnica.