Niche to normality -- an interdisciplinary review of Vehicle-to-Grid

TL;DR

This interdisciplinary review analyzes Vehicle-to-Grid technology, highlighting its potential benefits, challenges, and future research directions to facilitate its transition from niche trials to mainstream adoption in clean energy systems.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive, interdisciplinary overview of V2G, emphasizing the need for integrated solutions to overcome technical, economic, and social challenges.

Findings

Benefits are siloed by stakeholder and value proposition.

Challenges arise from stacking multiple values and stakeholder connections.

Key research and policy areas identified for accelerating V2G adoption.

Abstract

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capabilities, which enable electric vehicles to discharge power from their batteries for external uses, epitomise the coupling of the electricity and transport sectors. To thrive at the nexus of these large and well-established sectors V2G services must deliver technical, economic and social values to many stakeholders. In this Review we present a holistic and interdisciplinary examination of V2G services, highlighting the wide range of potential benefits as well as the challenges slowing the technology's evolution from niche trials to mainstream adoption. We find that benefits tend to be siloed by value proposition and stakeholder while the challenges tend to stem from stacking multiple values and connecting multiple stakeholders. Consequently, we identify key areas for future research, industry and policy activities that will accelerate and smoothen the realisation of V2G's potential as an essential pillar of clean transport-electricity systems.