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Australian researchers have found that if 10% of vehicles are electric and use V2G connections, they could reduce peak electricity demand at local substations by 6% and save car owners on charging costs.
Australian research suggests that using V2G (electric vehicle to grid) connections with a 10% penetration rate can reduce local substation peak demand by 6% and substantially reduce fuel costs for vehicle owners electrical (EV). However, without proper management, EV penetration levels above 20% could negate those benefits.
The “ Network tariffs for V2G ” study , conducted by enX and commissioned by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), sought to explore the interaction between dynamic electricity and network tariffs (which are real-time , similar to wholesale pricing tools) and the increasing number of EVs connecting to the grid. The study also sought to understand how these EVs could help alleviate pressure on the network compared to fixed time-of-use rates.
The results indicate that V2G connections with dynamic pricing, specifically rate types s3 and s6 in the previous graph, were the ones that most reduced the demand peaks of the substations. These same dynamic pricing tariffs also saved significant amounts on electric vehicle owners electricity bills, with some V2G participants seeing positive net income from their vehicles electricity use, including a small bill that covered 100% of their total electricity use.
The analysis examined the load at the Metford substation in New South Wales, Australia, focusing specifically on one of the peak demand days of the year, March 6, 2023. On that day, peak demand reached 41.6 MW at 18:00. With a dynamically-rated power and grid tariff focused on peak shedding, the substation experienced a 2.54 MW reduction in peak load. This reduction represented 6.29% of the value of the maximum demand of the substation.
The analysis also revealed that an early morning peak is developing and is expected to reach a high point when V2G EVs reach a 20% adoption rate.
The dynamic pricing model achieved the most significant reduction in peak demand when applied to both network tariffs (including transmission, distribution and demand tariffs) and electricity pricing. This model set the price of electricity based on current market rates, in contrast to time-of-use pricing, which is based on fixed periods of higher and lower rates.
The analysis also revealed that a combination of bidirectional grid support pricing and spot-pass pricing (scenario s5) resulted in a reduction of 2.11 MW, almost equal to the 2.54 MW savings from the optimal model. The s3, s5 and s6 models generated significant savings for vehicle owners, as well as a significant reduction in substation consumption peaks.
In total, the analysis modeled 520 unique user accounts, including customers with solar installations of varying sizes and diverse electricity usage patterns. The study was motivated by forecasts for the year 2050, which predict a significant increase in the capacity of electric vehicle batteries. According to the document, the capacity of EV batteries is expected to reach approximately 2.4 TWh, four times the estimated storage capacity of the electricity grid, which is 0.64 TWh. The researchers emphasize that unleashing the potential of these batteries will be crucial to optimize the electricity grids of the future. |
