Foto: E.ON
The number of bidirectional-capable electric cars, which can not only absorb electricity but also feed it back into the grid at a later date, is growing steadily. At the same time, bidirectional-capable wallboxes are on their way to the end customer market. ‘More than 166,000 electric cars in Germany are already ‘bidi-ready’, i.e. prepared for bidirectional charging. A nationwide, comprehensive use of the technology is currently being trialled,’ says Filip Thon, CEO of E.ON Deutschland. ‘Our potential analysis shows that such a swarm battery from the vehicles already registered could already store enough electricity to supply 1.75 million households with energy for twelve hours. This shows how sensible it is to use the already existing e-car battery not just for driving, but as an integrated part of our energy system.’
For the calculation, E.ON analysed the current vehicle fleet in Germany with a view to bidirectionality, based on the average battery size of these e-cars of 61 kilowatt hours and assuming that 60 percent of the battery capacity is available flexibly at night. This results in a storage potential for bidirectional charging of just under 5,500 megawatt hours (MWh). Even if only a quarter of the battery capacity were released for bidirectional use, around 2,300 MWh could be utilised – enough to supply 730,000 households for one night.
A bidirectional electric car could supply eleven households at night
The potential is impressive not only in the ‘mass’, but also in the individual consideration: the electricity consumption of a single German household from 5.30 p.m. to 5.30 a.m. is 3.12 kilowatt hours on average. A single bidirectional-capable car that is connected via a bidirectional wallbox and releases 60 per cent of its battery capacity could mathematically supply almost eleven such households with electricity during this period.
Bidirectional charging could save almost one million cubic metres of natural gas per discharge cycle
The future widespread use of this technology could significantly reduce the need to ramp up flexible power plants to quickly meet the demand for electricity. If the current bidirectionally chargeable vehicle fleet releases 60 per cent of the battery capacity, this energy would be enough to supply 2.9 million households with energy for five hours in the short term. This is almost equivalent to the output of four large gas-fired power plants, which could be shut down for this purpose. Almost one million cubic metres of natural gas and therefore 2,000 tonnes of CO2 could be saved for each such use.
79 per cent of electric car drivers with their own home want bidirectional charging
A survey** by E.ON, conducted by the opinion research institute Civey, shows that 79 per cent of electric car drivers with their own home are open to bidirectional charging. Among those who have a photovoltaic system on their roof, the figure is as high as 83 per cent.
E.ON became active in the field of bidirectional charging at an early stage as part of pilot projects and is pursuing the goal of offering a consumer-friendly and attractive solution package.
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