The concept of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) is very similar to that of smart charging. Smart charging, also known as V1G, allows for deciding how much capacity/energy to allocate to Electric Vehicle (EV) charging in real-time. V2G solutions go further and add the ability to redirect energy from a battery to the power grid to balance the network, especially when demand suddenly increases. Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) is not very different from V2G and includes V2H (Vehicle-to-Home), V2B (Vehicle-to-Building), and V2G.
Highlights
The transportation sector is undergoing a revolution that can be seen in the growing number of electric vehicles on our roads. In addition to having a much smaller ecological footprint than combustion vehicles, electric car batteries represent an energy storage option. Globally, 140 to 240 million electric vehicles are expected to be on the road by 2030. That means there will be at least 140 million energy sources on wheels, totalling about 7 TWh of storage capacity. Today, only a few models are compatible with V2G technology. New (distributed) energy sources like V2G are challenged to compete in traditional energy markets that are not fully aligned with their capabilities. Energy regulation is complex and provides an obstacle for emerging technologies like smart car charging and V2G to make an immediate impact.
Challenges and opportunities for DSOs
- The impact of V2G on power quality and voltage control has to be analysed.
- Connection solutions have to be defined for V2G, both in direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC).
- V2G emphasises (sub-)metering (DC or AC) needs.
- The capacity of V2G, on top of smart charging, to meet local congestion and curtailment needs and its implementation must be studied.
- The capacity of V2G to provide reserve and frequency services has to be studied
- An energy aggregator can combine EV batteries and other distributed energy assets, such as solar and home batteries, into virtual power plants (VPPs) that can supply and trade energy on electricity markets. DSOs have to investigate the load profiles of such VPPs.
- DSO’s technical and functional methods for activating V2G have to be defined.
- V2G systems must comply with European grid codes, including requirements for frequency response, voltage control, and autonomous functions such as low voltage ride through (LVRT). Certification processes for EVs and EV supply equipment (EVSEs) are being developed to ensure compliance with these standards.
- According to the Requirements for Generators Network Code (in the process of being updated to RfG 2.0), a V2G electric vehicle is defined as one capable of injecting electricity into the grid, regardless of whether the inverter is onboard or external. This includes both AC and DC charging systems.
E.DSO Considerations
- The outlook for V2X has yet to be clarified. In particular, the contribution of V2G in addition to smart charging must be specified.
- V2X services for other energy operators must not cause or aggravate congestion on the electricity network.
- V2X are to be incorporated in the Network Code on Requirements for Generators.
- ISO 15118-20 and OCPP 2.1 are essential for ensuring interoperability between EVs, charging stations, and grid operators
- Aggregators play a key role in combining EV batteries into VPPs, but current flexibility markets are not yet fully developed across Europe, limiting the V2G deployment.
- Additional E.DSO considerations can be found in the E.DSO Technical Paper on V2G Charging Mechanisms.
Potential use cases
- Grid congestion mitigation: V2G enables decentralised energy injection during peak demand periods, thereby alleviating local grid congestion and deferring costly infrastructure upgrades.
- Renewable energy integration: Electric vehicles can store surplus energy from renewable sources and discharge it when needed, enhancing the flexibility and reliability of the distribution grid.
- Provision of flexibility services: V2G-capable vehicles can act as distributed energy resources, offering ancillary services such as frequency regulation and voltage support to DSOs.
- Resilience and emergency backup: In the event of grid disturbances, V2G systems can provide temporary backup power to critical infrastructure, improving overall system resilience.
- Reduction of technical losses: Localised energy discharge reduces transmission losses and improves overall system efficiency.
- Enhanced grid planning and forecasting: Real-time data from V2G operations can support DSOs in forecasting load patterns and planning future grid reinforcements more accurately.
Ongoing projects
- The FLOW Project (EU-wide): Participated by the Enel Group, Areti, E.DSO and partners, this EU-funded initiative explores smart charging and V2G business models. Demonstrations in Menorca and Italy focus on enhancing grid reliability and testing non-firm connection agreements to reduce connection costs and delays.
- Enedis (France) is integrating Renault V2G vehicles into the distribution grid using the Linky Meter for settlement purposes.
- Enel and Frederiksberg Forsyning (Denmark) are deploying 10 V2G units with Nissan e-NV200 vehicles to provide grid stabilisation services to the Danish TSO Energinet.
- The SCALE Project (EU-wide) foresees a collaboration between WDS, MyWheels, and Renault to deploy bidirectional chargers and compatible EVs, supporting the development of interoperable V2G ecosystems.
- In the case of the DSO Fluvius (Belgium), V2G chargers are subject to the same connection requirements as generation units. A structured registration process and a list of certified devices have been established to ensure compliance.
- Through the ‘CARS’ project, ORES (Belgium) is exploring two aspects of residential electric vehicle charging: sub-metering using data from the charging point (which can even lead to supply split), and the modulation capabilities of the charging point.
Last update: 26 June 2025