Gettysburg College Economics Prof. Rimvydas Baltaduonis and colleagues from the University of Colorado Denver were recently awarded a $750,000 research grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to explore the potential of using electric vehicles (EVs) as sustainable energy sources to meet the growing demands on the modern power grid infrastructure.
Researchers say electric vehicles can be equipped with a bidirectional charging system, which would allow them to transfer extra energy back to the electric grid. This process is similar to the use of solar energy panels on houses, which allow homeowners to sell back extra electricity to utility companies.
The Vehicle-Grid Integration (VGI) system would help maximize the advantages of using electric vehicles in addressing power outages, reducing energy costs, and creating a stronger and more sustainable energy system. The project will explore the potential benefits of VGI, the costs and challenges associated with its implementation, and how best to share the benefits among people.
“The project aims to generate new knowledge that would facilitate fast and efficient integration of the growing number of EVs into the fast-changing energy economy of the 21st century by making the transition more accessible and beneficial to all,” said Baltaduonis.
Baltaduonis will use graduate students to assist with the project while also serving as co-director of the Gettysburg Lab for Experimental Economics. He says the research team, which includes undergraduate students from Gettysburg, will focus on ways to incentivize EV owners to return power to the grid during emergencies such as wildfires or grid blackouts.
Story source: www.gettysburg.edu