Powerloop - Domestic V2G Demonstrator Project

Electric vehicle batteries unlock a new benefit that drivers have never experienced - the battery can help power their home, their street and the whole of the UK. In turn, this enables an innovative management of electricity demands on the grid, minimises network reinforcement costs, and supports the further roll-out of intermittent renewable energy generation.

Octopus Energy are leading a consortium to unlock this value with six other key players - Octopus Electric Vehicles, Chargepoint Services, UK Power Networks, Open Energi, Navigant Consulting and the Energy Saving Trust.

This unique group will enable customers to discover electric vehicles, take them for a test drive and access a special Vehicle to Grid (V2G) bundle. A two-way charger will enable the driver to charge their vehicle intelligently, use the power in the battery in the home when prices are high, or sell it back to the grid - creating value for the driver.

The availability of the domestic electric vehicle (EV) batteries to help balance the system makes the grid flexible and responsive, allowing greater use of variable generation like renewable energy, and reduces the cost of EV ownership by rewarding owners for taking part.

As the first project of its kind, Beating Home provides critical insight into how effective EVs are as a grid balancing mechanism, how drivers would like to interact with their EV charging system, and the technology to make it all possible. With this data, the UK can simultaneously encourage greater uptake of EVs while smoothly integrating them into the grid, aligning with UK decarbonisation goals.

The consortium includes the market leading charge point platform provider (CPS), an innovative aggregator (Open Energi) and the DNO in the area where EV penetration is highest (UKPN). The unique combination of participants in the consortium enables an unparalleled opportunity to validate domestic V2G at scale in regional clusters.