In Spain, if you ride a self-consumption system with solar panels at home and you generate more energy than you need, there is a mechanism called simplified compensation through which you can return that energy to the grid and receive an economic bonus. Well, China wants to bring this concept to its electric cars.
what’s happening. They count in Rest of World that the Chinese government is developing two-way charging stations for electric cars. The goal is for cars to charge during off-peak hours (when energy is cheaper) and be able to return energy to stabilize the grid during peak demand. According to government testsowners could earn 1,400 yuan for each download, about 170 euros.
The plan. At the moment the system is being tested and 30 bidirectional charging stations have been installed in nine different cities. The plan is to have 5,000 by 2027 and by 2030 they expect the energy capacity to reach 1,000 million kilowatts.
Why is it important. China is not only the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the world, it is also the country with the largest fleet of electric cars in the world, with more than 40 million vehicles in circulation. If they manage to implement it on a massive scale, they would also have the largest network of electric batteries available that would help them diversify energy sources, reduce dependence on coal and stabilize supply.
Others have tried. China is not the first country to have this idea. According to the V2G-hub listthere are around 150 similar projects around the world, many of them already abandoned, but others still underway. However, none have come close to nationwide adoption. In Spain there have been at least six initiatives, one of them still underway in Menorca.
Challenges. Bidirectional charging faces many challenges and technical difficulties. To start the price. A bi-directional charger costs between $2,100 and $2,800, almost triple what a normal charger costs. It is the main reason why scaling such a system is complicated, but in China they have the advantage that the government is betting heavily on subsidizing energy.
Another difficulty is that not all cars are compatible with this energy, so its mass adoption would be delayed at least until a greater number of vehicles support it. Finally, there is the issue of battery degradation, a major consumer concern that could slow adoption.
Electrostate. Not long ago China was the biggest polluter of the planet and, although still depends a lot on coal to generate energy, it is giving a radical turn to become an “electrostate”. The bidirectional charging initiative is another example of China’s commitment to investing in renewables. There are more, like construction of the largest solar park on the planet in Tibet or the giant Three Gorges Dam, so big that even changed the rotation of the Earth.
Image | Kindel Media, Pexels
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