Stabilizing the electric grid

If there is one reminder from the power outages left in the wake of Hurricane Helene, it's that our nation's electric grid has vulnerabilities. Despite the sharp minds and advanced technology designed to keep the power on, sometimes Mother Nature has different ideas.

As the effects of climate change worsen, more challenges may be in store.

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, University of Delaware, Delmarva Power and collaborating industry partners PJM Interconnection and Ford Motor Company showcased how vehicle-to-grid (V2G) power can support the electric grid or provide backup during power failures at a demonstration event in Newark, Delaware.

The pilot project leverages batteries in parked Ford Mach-E electric vehicles (EVs) that are part of Delmarva Power's transportation fleet to effectively store and contribute energy to the grid in a way that meets all standards and regulations.

Linked together, the Ford Mach-E EV batteries form a virtual power plant, allowing the vehicle batteries to store energy when the grid has too much, such as during off-peak hours, and then return it to help the grid balance demands for electricity when it is needed during peak energy use - all with zero emissions and minimal impact on the planet.

"One distinct advantage of this type of distributed power storage is the ability to provide instant power on a moment's notice, say, if the larger grid has a failure, for example, or if a generator stops or a large transmission line goes down," said V2G pioneer Willett Kempton, UD professor of marine science and policy and of electrical and computer engineering.