Roanoke Electric Cooperative (REC) is testing new charging station technology UL-listed for bidirectional power flow to add value to EVs and accelerate investment in transportation electrification.
Project Description
Roanoke Electric Cooperative (REC) is working with Fermata Energy to pilot the first electric vehicle (EV) charging system equipment to meet the North American standard for two-way (i.e., bidirectional) power flow, as verified by Underwriters Laboratories. REC is seeking to unlock the value of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) integration with a Nissan LEAF, one of the most widely sold and affordable electric vehicles (EV) on the market.
Early results from the first electric cooperative demonstration of a new V2G system show promise that such systems can help reduce peak demand and save members money.
REC is demonstrating how Fermata Energy's FE-15 15kW bidirectional EV charger can do double duty: It can both charge an EV and use the car’s batteries to feed power back to the electric grid. This bidirectional, or V2G, capability could help utilities avoid peak power costs by tapping into the lower-priced energy stored by an EV during nighttime or off-peak hours. “The overall goal is to stabilize our rates, become more efficient as a utility and prove new ways to save our members money,” said Curtis Wynn, president and CEO of Roanoke Electric, which serves about 14,000 members.
This new charger is the first of its kind in the US to receive the certification of UL (formerly Underwriters Laboratories), which reassures end users that the device has undergone rigorous safety testing and engineering. The maker of the new charger, Fermata Energy, asked Roanoke Electric last year to help test its FE-15 charger using the co-op’s two leased Nissan LEAF EVs. The device can draw up to 111.6 kilowatt-hours in V2G capacity from the vehicles’ 62-kWh lithium ion batteries.
Location
Aulander, NC, United States
Zipcode
27805
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