One of the major innovations of electric cars is that their batteries store energy. That sounds obvious, but it offers a huge potential benefit as we manage the transition towards renewable electricity. Excess wind or solar power can be stored and stashed in EV batteries, and even - through vehicle-to-grid-tech (V2G), be returned to the grid at peak power demand times.
Is that what Renault is doing here?
Yup, exactly that. Renault, through its Mobilize EV specialist arm, is working with the Dutch city of Utrecht to provide a fleet of Renault 5 E-Tech electric hatchbacks that can provide on-street instant rentals while at the same time acting as a power sink for extra renewable energy.
Does Utrecht have a lot of renewable energy?
Indeed, it does. In spite of a climate that's not too far from our own, Utrecht is a city where 35 per cent of buildings have solar panels. So having a mobile storage bank in the shape of a fleet of Renault 5s (soon to be joined by some of the new Renault 4 models too) Utrecht has somewhere it can put the extra solar power it's generating and better-balance its power grid, as well as having a shared EV mobility scheme.
How many cars are we talking about?
The initial roll-out of the plan involves 50 R5 E-Techs, which are managed by a car-sharing service called MyWheels. Thanks to the V2G tech embedded in the AC chargers of these cars, the power can flow from the solar panels into their batteries, or be recalled to the grid at peak times (assuming that the cars are plugged in at those times, but it's likely that at least some will be). Eventually, 500 cars will be included in the plan, and Utrecht reckons that represents ten per cent of the grid balance that it needs.
What happens next?
Well, Renault reckons that with this project, it's taking the promise of V2G and turning it into 'a tangible reality' thanks to the efforts of We Drive Solar, MyWheels, and the Municipality of Utrecht. Other cars can be added to the scheme in the coming months and years, including the Alpine A290, the Renault 4 E-tech, the updated Megane E-Tech, and Scenic E-Tech.
Renault's also not blind to the difficulties involved, saying: “While the technology is market-ready and offers significant benefits - including grid flexibility, reduced energy costs for EV owners, and a lower total cost of ownership - unlocking this potential requires overcoming current regulatory and technical barriers.” The French car maker is calling for clear and consistent regulations across Europe, encompassing fiscal incentives, grid fee revisions, streamlined certification processes, and support for smart meter deployment.
"To unlock the full potential of V2G, we need to break down existing barriers - from adapting fiscal rules and grid fees to promoting interoperability and simplifying certification processes. With the right alignment, V2G can become a cornerstone of tomorrow's grid” said Jérôme Faton, Mobilize Energy director.