The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy
Sally Sitou MP, Member for Reid
More EV owners will be able to use their cars as batteries on wheels after an Australian vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and smart charging pilot received a funding boost which will test how EVs can help power homes, cut bills and support the grid.
With $13.5 million in additional funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), Australian energy provider Amber Electric is enrolling another 950 customers in its vehicle-to-grid pilot program and more than 1,000 in its smart charging program, using real homes, real cars and real customer behaviour to help get the technology right for wider rollout.
Amber Electric's smart charging technology can automatically charge EVs when wholesale electricity prices are low and when rooftop solar generation is abundant.
This technology can be paired with V2G-capable cars and compatible chargers to power an EV driver's home. Drivers can also choose to sell electricity to the energy grid when it's needed most.
Drivers keep control. For example, a driver can program the Amber app to have their EV charged by 8am tomorrow morning, and for the state of charge to not go below 40%. Within those constraints Amber can go and make money for the customer while the EV is sitting in the driveway.
Launching the expansion in Lidcombe, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the project was about making sure more Australians can benefit from vehicle-to-grid technology in the years ahead.
"Vehicle-to-grid technology means your car does not just get you from A to B, it can help power your home and support the grid," Minister Bowen said.
"Australians with rooftop solar will be able to use their car to store the energy they've generated and then use that cheap, clean energy when they need it most.
"And thanks to our Solar Sharer Offer, EV owners who don't have solar of their own will soon have the option of charging with up to 24 kWh of free electricity each day.
"With vehicle to grid, they'll then be able to use that power however they choose - whether that's selling it back to the grid, powering their homes or driving one of the cheapest-to-run cars on the road."
Local Member for Reid Sally Sitou MP said local households are looking for practical ways to bring down bills and make the most of cheaper, cleaner energy.
"That's why I'm excited about vehicle-to-grid technology - it will help more Australians use their EVs to lower bills, support the grid and make the most of cheaper, cleaner energy.
"This is about giving local families more choice, lower running costs, and a stronger, cleaner energy system."
Along with ARENA funding, the Federal Government has also worked to make cheaper, cleaner cars available to all Australians by:
- Expanding the range of EVs available in Australia
- Making EVs easier to afford with concessional finance and the Electric Car Discount
- Establishing V2G standards across Australia
- Building a national EV charging network
- Supporting home, building and kerbside chargers
These are practical, common-sense policies that give Australians more choice, help them save money, and make our grid stronger.
Supporting V2G is a focus under the government's Driving the Nation program, which is helping Australians access cheaper, cleaner cars and the charging infrastructure they need.
