Skip to main content

UK government launches funding competition for vehicle to grid technology

The UK government is to invest US$25.7 million (£20 million) in vehicle to grid projects as part of its Industrial Strategy to create a smarter energy system, while increasing the numbers of electric cars on UK roads.
July 10, 2017 Read time: 1 min

The UK government is to invest US$25.7 million (£20 million) in vehicle to grid projects as part of its Industrial Strategy to create a smarter energy system, while increasing the numbers of electric cars on UK roads.

The projects will investigate technology that allows plug-in electric vehicles to not only draw power from the grid when charging but return it to people’s homes or back to the grid.
There are already 100,000 electric cars and 11,000 charge points and as this number grows they become a resource for a smart electricity grid, bringing benefits for drivers and creating a more flexible and efficient energy system.

The funding will be awarded to three types of innovative vehicle to grid projects: feasibility studies; industrial research or experimental development; and demonstrator trials in the real-world environment.

The competition process will start in the next few weeks with the aim of winners being notified in December and projects starting in early 2018.

Related Content

  • Connected vehicle technology the solution to safety?
    January 25, 2012
    A series of 'driver clinics' is under way across five states, as vehicle manufacturers and the US Government pin their hopes on connected vehicles becoming the next big advance in road safety. Pete Goldin reports. What would a car say if it could talk? Its first words might be: "Here I am". Many vehicles are communicating that very message to each other right now. Admittedly, this is in controlled environments of US Department of Transportation (USDoT) tests, but within the next few years 'connected vehicle
  • PennDOT makes funds available for transportation improvements
    April 8, 2014
    Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is accepting applications for funding for transportation improvement projects under the Multimodal Transportation Fund created by Act 89. PennDOT can make available US$20 million in fiscal year 2014-15 to distribute to successful applicants. Eligible projects can cost between US$100,000 and US$3 million and they require a 30 per cent match from local sources. PennDOT will evaluate the applications and make selections based on such criteria as safety
  • Sprawl spreads the costs and confines the benefits
    June 8, 2015
    A new report says car-centric planning leads to inefficient cities and divided communities as lead author Todd Litman explains. Between 1950 and 2050 the human population will have approximately quadrupled and shifted from 80% rural to nearly 80% urban; by the middle of this century the United Nations predicts an additional 2.2 billion urban residents in developing countries than there are today. How these cities grow has huge economic, social and environmental impacts and implementing proper policies can c
  • Sprawl spreads the costs and confines the benefits
    June 8, 2015
    A new report says car-centric planning leads to inefficient cities and divided communities as lead author Todd Litman explains. Between 1950 and 2050 the human population will have approximately quadrupled and shifted from 80% rural to nearly 80% urban; by the middle of this century the United Nations predicts an additional 2.2 billion urban residents in developing countries than there are today. How these cities grow has huge economic, social and environmental impacts and implementing proper policies can c