CSIRO - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

04/09/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/08/2025 19:53

New study brings vehicle to grid technology a step closer in Australia

By Sam Behrens , Chris Dunstan , Phillip Paevere 9 April 2025 3 min read

Key points

  • Demonstrates vehicle-to-grid (V2G) power supply using CCS2, Australia's dominant EV charging system.
  • Shows how EVs can draw from home rooftop solar and return power to the grid at peak times.
  • Proves existing EVs can act as flexible batteries, support grid stability and boost solar self-consumption.

A joint project by Essential Energy and CSIRO has demonstrated vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology using commercially available technology. The project has highlighted the potential of V2G to transform energy management in Australian households.

The research, conducted in a newly developed testing laboratory, successfully demonstrated how electric vehicles (EVs) equipped with Australia's most common charging plug type can store and share energy from rooftop solar systems.

Sam Behrens demonstrates DC electric vehicle charging under CSIRO's Newcastle Energy Centre's Solar Carpark. CSIRO site vehicles, alongside staff and visitor personal vehicles can be charged using 100% renewable energy.

Dr Sam Behrens, Project Leader,says this development is a key transition step in supporting rooftop solar and grid stability in Australia.

"This project marks an important milestone for Australia, successfully demonstrating a Combined Charging System (CCS2) bi-directional charger with a market-available V2G-capable vehicle," Sam said.

"This is significant as it opens the way for wider adoption of commonly available CCS2-compatible V2G technology, enabling households and utilities to use EVs as flexible energy resources."

A major step for energy innovation

The study took place in late 2024 at Essential Energy's Innovation Hub in Port Macquarie. Using a simulated home environment, researchers were able to replicate real-world household energy use and grid connection, enabling them to assess how bi-directional EV charging could be used in practice to manage household energy demands and grid exports.

There have been several demonstrations of V2G in Australia using the CHAdeMO charging plug, which is used by a handful of Japanese EV models such as the Nissan Leaf, but is becoming obsolete However, until now, there has been no commercially available bi-directional charger for the CCS2 in Australia.

"This successful demonstration of CCS2 bi-directional charging showcases the potential for a wide range of current and future EVs to become 'batteries on wheels' in people's homes. This can support higher penetration of both rooftop solar and other renewable energy sources into Australia's power grid," Sam said.

CSIRO's Kate Cavanagh and Sam Behrens at the start of the V2G trial with Essential Energy's Brad Trethewey (centre) in Port Macquarie.

Real-world insights into V2G potential

The research delivered several important insights, highlighting the potential of V2G technology for Australian households and electricity networks.

  • Integration of current V2G technology: two types of technology were tested. A Nissan Leaf EV paired with a CHAdeMO Wallbox Quasar bidirectional DC charger, and the AUSEV Ford F150 Lightning paired with an upgraded version of Sigenergy's CCS2 charger. Both were successfully integrated into the household simulator enabling self-consumption and energy export to the electrical grid.
  • Successful household energy simulation: the V2G laboratory accurately replicated 'real' household energy consumption and grid connection, allowing for testing under various scenarios, including seasonal variations.

"Our collaboration with Essential Energy has demonstrated the feasibility of V2G technology and its potential to transform energy management in solar-equipped households," Sam said.

"The laboratory facilities developed by Essential Energy and CSIRO during the pilot phase are already being used by industry to develop innovative products. This includes integrating EVs into household energy systems and are helping electricity networks get ready for the next generation of energy technologies."

Next steps for V2G in Australia

Building on the success of this pilot project, CSIRO and Essential Energy are in discussions to extend their collaboration. The next phase will focus on expanding the laboratory's capabilities, further refining how bi-directional charging technology can be implemented and exploring real-world deployment scenarios.

Kate Cavanagh at CSIRO's Energy Centre in Newcastle, demonstrating the Electric Vehicle Emulator, which can simulate an EV, an EV charger, or monitor charging.

This will include better automation and more advanced communication standards and control technologies. This will enable testing of a wide range of future V2G system configurations currently under development.

As EV adoption grows across Australia, V2G technology has the potential to provide flexible energy storage that supports a more renewable-powered energy system. With continued research and investment, using EVs as mobile energy storage could soon become a reality for many Australian households.

"We have high hopes that V2G will deliver benefits not only to EV owners, but also to the wider community by adding much-needed energy storage to power system infrastructure," Sam said.

"With their greater power and energy density as well as mobility, EV's could offer a level of flexibility and impact beyond anything previously seen in the energy sector in Australia," Sam said.

Contacts

Dr Sam Behrens

Senior Research Engineer

Contacts

Dr Sam Behrens

Senior Research Engineer