Australia tests whether electric vehicle batteries can power the grid
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 19:32 · Archive
Australia is running a three-year trial of up to 130 electric vehicles to test whether their batteries can supply power to the electricity grid.
Australia's Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced a $5.35 million, three-year trial on Wednesday with Jet Charge, AGL and the ACT government to test vehicle-to-grid technology with up to 130 electric vehicles. The trial, called Realising Electric Vehicle-to-Grid Services 2 (REVS2), will be Australia's biggest commercial deployment of the technology and builds on an earlier ARENA project from 2020.
Vehicle-to-grid technology uses a bi-directional charger to direct electricity into a car's battery or from the battery into the grid during periods of high demand. Many of the vehicles in the trial will be used by the ACT government to deliver in-home health services, meaning they can be connected to the grid overnight when not in use.
ARENA will invest $4.1 million and Jet Charge will contribute $1.25 million. Kristian Handberg, Jet Charge's future business general manager, said the trial would test how the technology works in commercial settings in the real world, moving beyond theoretical best-case scenarios. The announcement comes after record electric vehicle sales in Australia during 2026 and follows Amber Electric's expansion of residential vehicle-to-grid testing to another 1,000 homes.
How it is being reported
- Multimillion-dollar bid to make electric fleets pay upA fleet of more than 100 electric vehicles will be put to the test over three years to find out if vehicle-to-grid technology can cut costs and make money.Perth Now · 20 Oct, 19:01
- Multimillion-dollar bid to make electric fleets pay upA fleet of more than 100 electric vehicles will be put to the test over three years to find out if vehicle-to-grid technology can cut costs and make money.The West Australian · 20 Oct, 19:01
In this story: ARENA · Jet Charge · AGL · ACT government · Kristian Handberg · Amber Electric · Australia
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