The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Grid Deployment Office has selected the Scaling Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Integration Nationally (SVIN) project to receive approximately $10.9 million in cost-share funding to accelerate V2G adoption across the country.
The project – a partnership between Highland Electric Fleets, the leading provider of school bus fleet electrification-as-a-service, 12 utility providers and other supporting partners and educational institutions will deploy 14 V2G pilot projects nationwide utilizing electric school buses.
V2G technology allows electric vehicles to discharge energy back to the grid when utilities need it and can provide emergency support to buildings and community centers. As mobile distributed batteries, V2G-enabled vehicles can enhance grid flexibility and resilience, reduce expensive distribution system upgrades, decrease peaker plant emissions and increase renewable energy integration.
To date, V2G deployment has not scaled nationally due to a lack of utility programs that recognize the value of V2G services. The SVIN project’s goal is to provide utilities and their regulators with the experience and data necessary to create and accelerate commercial V2G programs.
The funds are part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, the federal government’s single largest direct investment into critical grid infrastructure. Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, the GRIP Program leverages federal and private investments to support a reliable grid that is prepared for extreme weather while also delivering affordable, clean energy and creating local economic opportunities.
The SVIN program will build a series of V2G electric school bus pilots with Highland, its project team and utility partners from around the country so that the utilities can use the experience to design programs. Based on the pilots, SVIN will develop a V2G Policy and Program Toolkit, providing scalable utility program designs and best practices for implementing V2G technology.
Additionally, SVIN will create data-driven, standardized metrics to assess the value of V2G assets. By integrating real-time data from utilities and vehicle operators, SVIN aims to help grid operators optimize program design to better serve their customers. Highland will draw on its own expertise and experience, as well as leverage technical partner Dynamic Organics and policy and program experts Tierra Resource Consulting, The Climate Center, Colorado State University and Zero Net Energy Alliance.
The project will support an estimated 778 construction, installation and utility jobs, drawing resources from local unions, utility teams and fleet operators. Seven project sites are located in Disadvantaged Communities and four will add vehicle-to-building capacity along with some combination of storage and solar to support community centers.