Innovate UK funds project to scale EV smart charging and power grid balancing

ev.energy, a software platform that delivers optimised electric vehicle charging services, has received additional funding from Innovate UK to scale the UK's first commercially operating Virtual Power Plant (VPP) using electric vehicles. 

This funding comes after ev.energy demonstrated with UK Power Networks in December the potential to help balance the power grid using only electric vehicles. During the trial, ev.energy's Virtual Power Plant automatically alleviated peak demand on the grid in areas of Norfolk and Essex by reducing power consumption from EV charging by 90%.

The on-going Innovate UK-funded demonstration is part of UK Research and Innovation's Prospering from the Energy Revolution programme.

"While these localised Virtual Power Plants are currently small in scale, they demonstrate the significant potential that can be unlocked from smart charging as the number of electric vehicles increases," said Sotiris Georgiopoulos, Head of Smart Grid Development at UK Power Networks.

William Goldsmith, ev.energy's Head of Grid Services said, "This is a significant milestone for domestic flexibility and we hope to share our technology with the support of Innovate UK's funding to support other utilities, charger manufacturers, and the wider industry in the UK and around the world." said William Goldsmith, ev.energy's Head of Grid Services.

Damien Kelly, Innovation Lead at Innovate UK added, "Localised systems to balance electricity demand, storage and supply are likely to play a vital role in helping the UK get to net zero. Innovative services using electric vehicles to provide flexibility to the grid have great potential and we look forward to supporting the scale-up and wider demonstration."