V4Grid: New Project Successfully Launched

On June 13, 2024, the first meeting of the 11 partners of the newly acquired V4Grid project – "The Visegrad Group for Vehicle to X" – took place at the Jurkovič Heating Plant in Bratislava. The project is funded by the Interreg Central Europe program, with ZSE serving as the lead partner and coordinator of the entire Consortium.

All 11 partners from the V4 region, representing the energy sector, academia, research, local governments, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the technology sector from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, attended the project's initial Kick-off meeting.

The Interreg Central Europe program’s Joint Secretariat in Vienna was represented by Ms. Viktorija Dobravec. Dr. Claire Weiller, Senior Director of Program & Product Management at Fermata Energy, also attended the kick-off meeting. Fermata Energy is an associated partner of the V4Grid project and a member of its Advisory Board.

During her presentation, Dr. Claire Weiller outlined the key requirements and technological ecosystem of the V2X concept. She introduced the partners to specific "use cases" that will be crucial for the V4Grid Consortium not only in the project's pilot phase but also in the subsequent roll-out of V2X technology in the future. At the end of her presentation, she focused on the main barriers and challenges associated with this technology.

Three Key Areas of V2X Technology Use in the Pilot Project

Over the next 30 months, the V4Grid Consortium will install a total of 18 V2X chargers at 15 pilot sites in 7 regions, focusing on piloting, testing, and validating the concept in three priority areas of use known as:

• V2H (Vehicle-to-Home)** – where electric vehicles can transfer energy back to the home they are charging from. This process is also called bidirectional charging, with the main idea being that an electric vehicle can be used as a backup power source when not in use. Utilizing V2H technology can lead to electricity cost savings and reduce the payback period of the electric vehicle. If the V2H charger is combined with photovoltaic panels, it increases the use of green energy and reduces dependency on traditional energy sources.
  
  V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid)** – enables a bidirectional flow of electricity between an electric vehicle’s battery and the power grid. This helps better balance electricity supply and demand, reducing the risk of blackouts. It also allows drivers to sell excess energy from the battery back to the grid. By aggregating electric vehicles, frequency regulation services and peak load reductions can be provided, offering additional income for electric vehicle owners, stabilizing the grid, and reducing CO2 emissions by maximizing the use of green energy.
  
  V2B (Vehicle-to-Building)** – focuses on internal energy flow optimization in a building through V2B chargers. The optimization process involves eliminating peak energy demands, which can reduce the reserved capacity of the electrical grid and, subsequently, lower the cost per kWh. To achieve this goal, V2B chargers will be connected to the building's local energy management system (EMS).

Innovative Business Models and AI-Optimized Charging

In addition to the installation of V2X chargers, the V4Grid Consortium will develop comprehensive business models and regulatory recommendations for the entire Central European region. The aim is also to connect electric vehicle charging station operators, energy suppliers, and prosumers (entities that are both producers and consumers of energy). With the expertise of colleagues from the Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies (KInIT), AI/ML-based algorithms will be designed for intelligent energy solutions. Machine learning models will capture and predict customer behavior patterns, including vehicle arrival and departure times, as well as energy consumption and production patterns. Special attention will be paid to optimizing the use of electric vehicle batteries to leverage the stored energy for V2X services.