Hydro One and Peak Power launched a new pilot program to study the benefits of using electric vehicle (EV) charging technology to improve power resiliency and reliability for customers.
Two-way vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging technology will be installed at the homes of program participants to test the ability of EVs to act as batteries and provide back-up electricity through simulated power outages.
This technology has the potential to support the shift to electrification and a low-carbon economy for customers in Ontario. As part of building a grid for the future, the innovative pilot program will study how this technology can improve the reliability of Hydro One’s distribution system.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Hydro One as a utility partner who shares our passion for pioneering clean energy innovation to benefit their customers and help support the reliability, affordability and sustainability of Ontario’s grid alongside growing EV adoption,” said Matthew Sachs, Chief Operating Officer, Peak Power. “This V2H project will demonstrate how utilities and system operators can integrate intelligent clean tech to modernize their grid with cost-efficient software solutions.”
The pilot program is funded in part by the Independent Electricity System Operator’s (IESO) Grid Innovation Fund. The fund supports projects that either enable customers to better manage their energy consumption, or reduce costs associated with maintaining reliable operation of the province’s grid.
Peak Power will leverage its software demonstrated in its existing Peak Drive pilot in partnership with Nissan and the Federal Government to explore the benefits of V2H two-way charging. This technology is already being used with Nissan Leaf EVs in Japan, Europe and Australia.
Vehicle-to-grid technology can cut costs and emissions and power a home for nearly three days, with enough battery in reserve to drive to a recharging site.
Hydro One Limited, through its units, is Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with about 1.4 million customers, nearly $30.3 billion in assets as of December 31, 2020, and annual revenues in 2020 of nearly $7.3 billion.
