VEhiCle TO eneRgy communitieS (VECTORS)

As energy grids evolve towards net zero, with increased penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and electrification of heating and transportation, challenges have been imposed on network operation, resilience and security of supply. In this context, a major theme of the UK's low-carbon energy transition is the increased need for flexibility across electricity networks to ensure resilience. As the flexibility of power systems constitutes an emerging area of interest in the power sector and in fact a powerful tool at the disposal of network operators, the creation of innovative technologies which will unlock and expand the flexibility potential of existing energy assets has attracted attention. The need for diversity in flexibility services as well as the options for offering these services have created opportunities for EVs participation in the flexibility markets.

Thus far, many projects have dealt with the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) paradigm. On that front, the 'VEhiCle TO eneRgy community' (VECTORS) project expands the flexibility potential of the bi-directional charging technologies by tackling the silo operation of V2X, complementing the solution with bespoke business models, carbon reduction impact and tailored market products. The project brings together proven technologies and existing energy infrastructure to accommodate the deployment of innovative V2X charging equipment, and consequently enables EV flexibility services provision for multiple concepts (i.e. V2Home, V2Community and aggregated V2Grid concepts).

The objectives of the consortium are to:

- Identify and characterise existing and upcoming EV charging technologies against current and future energy services, considering different configuration set-ups.

- Develop optimisation and control frameworks accounting for: i) wide-scale optimisation aggregated households and non-domestic energy assets, and ii) behind-the-meter optimisation and control of an individual household.

-Develop the business case and quantify the environmental and economic benefits of V2X services across individual and aggregated households.

-Develop user experience (UX) to enable market interface.

-Validate the technical capability of the proposed frameworks.

VECTORS is about tangible benefits to EV end-users and network operators:

-New flexibility players: EV charging technologies able to trade flexibility services.

-New revenue streams: Access to local and national energy market segments, in which new revenues streams are emerging steadily.

-New market products: Energy suppliers are able to shape energy products with a focus on V2X

-Prevent systems reinforcement: participation of EV-end-users in the flexibility market, minimising the need for additional capital expenditure to mitigate network stress

-Increase energy savings for residents by promoting self-consumption and reducing carbon impact