Similarities between vehicle-to-grid interfaces and photovoltaic systems

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interfaces could make electric-drive vehicles an important part of the interactive, two-way grid of the future. Considerable development work is ongoing to determine exactly what functionality a V2G interface should have, from the grid´s perspective. In this regard, V2G may have a great deal in common with distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems: both connect to the lowest voltage portions of the grid, and both may one day be responsible for intelligently contributing to the operation of their local power systems. In addition, because of numbers and location on the grid, both will also likely be constrained by available communications bandwidth, and will thus have to include considerable on-board intelligence to minimize the amount of command-and-control required from a central grid operator. Because of these common characteristics, many of the control techniques and grid interconnection standards (such as IEEE-1547 and IEC-62116) being developed for distributed resources like PV could also impact V2G. This paper looks at research and development and standards-writing efforts in PV that might benefit V2G.