The new investment will support vehicle-to-grid projects
as part of the government’s Industrial Strategy and
create a smarter energy system, while increasing the
numbers of electric cars on UK roads.
The projects will investigate technology that allows
plug-in electric vehicles to not only draw power from the
grid when charging but return it to people’s homes or
back to the grid.
There are already 100,000 electric cars and 11,000
chargepoints thanks to government support. As this number
grows they become a resource for a smart electricity grid
– bringing benefits for drivers and creating a more
flexible and efficient energy system.
Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry,
said:
The government is a world leader in tackling climate
change and we are committed to investing in clean
energy innovation to support the UK’s transition to a
low carbon economy.
Vehicle to grid technology provides another opportunity
for the UK to showcase to the world our leading
expertise in research and development which is at the
heart of our ambitious Industrial Strategy. This
competition could unlock significant economic benefits
for the UK - helping to create jobs in this burgeoning
sector while helping to reduce our emissions.
The new funding from the Department for Business Energy
and Industrial Strategy and the Office for Low Emission
Vehicles (OLEV) underlines the government’s commitment to
innovative technologies. Financial support for energy
innovation will double by 2021 and over £600 million is
already being invested to accelerate the transition to
ultra-low emission vehicles.
The £20 million announced today will be awarded to three
types of innovative vehicle to grid projects:
- feasibility studies – investigating the ways vehicle
to grid technology can be used in the future
- industrial research or experimental development - for
example, to develop vehicle-to-grid charging equipment
- demonstrator trials in the real-world environment -
projects that trial vehicle to grid technology in
different locations across the country
Transport Minister said:
Electric vehicles are already helping thousands of
motorists cut their fuel costs, and now there is an
extra financial incentive for motorists to go green.
The number of ultra-low emission vehicles on our roads
is at record levels, with the latest figures showing
that there are over 100,000 plug-in cars and vans
registered.
The government’s ambition is that nearly all cars and
vans on our roads are zero emission by 2050.
The competition process will start in the next few weeks
with the aim of winners being notified in December and
projects starting in early 2018.
Simon Edmonds, Manufacturing and Materials Director at
Innovate UK, said:
These competitions present ground-breaking
opportunities for UK businesses to develop the next
stage of vehicle to grid products and services. The
potential of these technologies are huge, both for
businesses and consumers.
