TMH: V2G field test at Euref-Campus results in savings of 650 euros

The Munich-based e-mobility specialist The Mobility House, together with partners at the EUREF Campus in Berlin, has demonstrated for the first time the potential of aggregated vehicle batteries in the energy market through real applications on the European Power Exchange (EPEX Spot). According to the manufacturer, annualized returns of four-digit euros per vehicle could be generated. Taking into account possible deductions in the form of, among others, tax levies, potential savings of at least 650 euros could result for end customers, TMH further states.

Real car batteries, real consumption profiles

Unlike previous simulations, this experiment marketed the flexibility from electric vehicles using real electric car batteries, actual consumption and charging profiles, and real market behavior. They alternately tested “V1G”, the pure temporal shift of the charging process, as well as Vehicle to Grid (“V2G”) – the possibility of bidirectional charging and discharging of the batteries. TMH’s proprietary software controlled the process, regulating the state of charge of the batteries through algorithms and marketing their aggregated flexibility on energy markets. In addition to revenue potentials in the energy market, the mobility needs of the drivers, battery degradation, and the upstream grid or grid connection were considered.

Together with Audi AG, the Munich-based company had already set up a stationary storage system with 20 e-tron 2nd-life batteries at the EUREF Campus in Berlin back in 2019. Since then, the multi-use storage has been in use with various energy products.

Marketing under real conditions

In the experiment, 18 e-tron vehicle batteries from the stationary EUREF storage were treated as if they were being used in mobile electric vehicles. A driving profile based on average German values was assigned to the 2nd-life batteries. Each battery could be charged or discharged with 11 kW during the connection windows and consumed an amount of electricity equivalent to around 18,250 km of mileage per year during the driving windows, the provider further explains. The charging and discharging strategy took into account minimum storage levels at departure and conserved the battery. During times when vehicles were typically plugged in for charging, the flexibility provided by charging and discharging the batteries could be made available to the energy system. During times when vehicles typically drove, they were not available to the energy market. The technology simultaneously operated several energy markets (Day Ahead and Intraday Market) to achieve the best possible values and savings at any given time.

“The revenues generated by our algorithms in this field trial are an impressive demonstration of the value of bidirectional charging. We are working intensively on products to unlock these values for our customers and thereby make the huge storage capacity of electric cars available to the energy system. To enable this, regulatory hurdles must now be dismantled, and the existing potentials in the field of smart charging should not be literally left on the street,” explains Marcus Fendt, Managing Director of The Mobility House.