EVergy

Part of

Sustainability

The future of renewable energy generation

MA 2024

Keywords

Sustainable, Renewable Energy Sources, Intelligent Mobility, Electric Vehicle, 2030

Overview

Our project builds on the 2030 context. As there may be a mismatch between peak renewable energy generation and peak electricity consumption, this can lead to renewable electricity being wasted when the grid capacity is full. We envisage utilising and developing 'Vehicle-to-Grid' (V2G) technology, incorporating the energy storage attributes of electric vehicles, using their batteries to capture excess renewable energy and sell it back to the grid at peak times, providing dynamic, environmentally friendly and economical power for electric vehicles.

Collaboration

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SECTION ONE SECTION TWO STATEMENT SECTION THREE SECTION FOUR

DISCOVER

Background

Currently, over 50% of the UK's electricity comes from renewable energy sources. While this growth aligns with the UK's goals of achieving net-zero carbon emissions, it presents several challenges:

Intermittency of Renewable Energy: Due to the unpredictability of weather and other natural factors, the power generation from renewable sources can fluctuate dramatically. When wind and sunlight are abundant, this can lead to an excess of electricity, resulting in waste. Conversely, during times of insufficient wind and sunlight, there may not be enough power to meet peak demand.

Insufficient Power Supply: The challenge of ensuring a stable and continuous power supply arises when renewable energy capacity is unable to meet high demand, threatening the stability of the grid and consumer needs.

Reliance on Natural Gas in the Electricity Market: To compensate for the instability of renewable sources, the UK electricity market relies on natural gas as a backup. This dependency leads to fluctuations in electricity prices, particularly during periods when natural gas prices are high, increasing the cost of electricity.

Looking ahead to 2030, the UK's electricity grid is expected to undergo profound changes.

the UK’s renewable capacity will increase fivefold
Plans are already in action to increase offshore wind’s output to 50GW by 2030 – helped by a £200 million government cash injection and financial incentives. Meanwhile, solar capacity could grow to roughly 70GW in the same period.

Significant increase in demand for battery storage capacity in the UK.

Fossil-fuel fired plants have traditionally been used to manage electricity peaks and troughs, but battery energy storage facilities can replace a portion of these so-called peaking power generators over time.

80% new cars sold in the UK to be zero-emission by 2030.

By 2030, the UK is expected to have around 8 to 11 million hybrid or electric vehicles on the road. By 2030, around 30% of cars in the UK are expected to be EVs.

These EVs are not just transportation means but also serve as mobile energy storage units, collectively offering about 400 GWh of storage capacity. This substantial storage potential can be utilized through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, where electric vehicles not only charge from the grid but can also feed electricity back into the grid during peak times. This system not only optimizes grid management and enhances energy efficiency but also supports the UK in achieving its target of reducing carbon emissions to zero.

Technology : Vehicle-to-Grid(V2G)

Vehicle-to-grid(V2G), enables energy to be pushed back to the grid from the battery of an EV.

V2G helps balance grid loads by charging when demand is low and discharging to the grid when demand is high.

Interview

We interviewed current EV users and came up with three significant pain points:

Mileage anxiety
Lack of transparency about electricity prices and other information
Don't know V2G technology, but have a strong interest in it

Define

Research summary

After analysis, we've identified major challenges in our electricity system:

Waste of Renewable Energy: Occurs when peaks in renewable energy generation do not align with consumption peaks, especially when the grid is at full capacity.

High Costs Driven by Fossil Fuels: The reliance on fossil fuels as a backup during low renewable production periods dictates the high marginal cost of electricity, increasing prices for consumers.

From these challenges, we've derived key insights for improvement:

Utilization of EV Batteries for Storage: Leveraging the storage capacity of electric vehicle (EV) batteries to store excess renewable energy can mitigate waste.

Optimizing V2G Systems: Enhancing the response mechanism of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems to prioritize capturing and storing renewable energy when it's abundant.

Persona

Our persona, Adam, an EV owner, encapsulates the consumer perspective. Adam wishes for lower charging costs and a more streamlined and efficient charging experience. Additionally, he is motivated by a desire to contribute more significantly to environmental sustainability. Adam represents a growing segment of consumers who are not only driven by personal benefits but also by the broader impacts of their choices on the environment.

HMW

How Might We develop the ‘Vehicle-to-Grid’ system to engage electric vehicle owners to capture wasted renewable electricity in 2030?

DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

Strategy

Based on the common flow, we focus on the case where there is a surplus of renewable energy power. Due to the instability of natural factors, the power generation from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar is also unstable. When the renewable power generation peaks at a certain point in time, we envisage the use of EV to store the surplus renewable power as the grid capacity is limited to store all of it. Thus, when energy generation peak, v2g system recognises it and make reminder to EV owners, let them store the renewable energy. If grid load, EV owners can get response from v2g system to discharge, feed renewable energy back into the grid, and they will get money by selling energy.

Testing - Workshop

We conducted two workshops offline with 8 testers.

Set up three characters as a control group
Testers experienced our service system and completed operations according to the role identity settings

Feedback:

Some people also have mileage anxiety and need to emphasise the remaining power and the efficiency of power usage.
Users see the benefits and contribution more intuitively.
For new users, the concepts are difficult to understand, and simple operating instructions and easy-to-understand information are needed to shorten the adaptation cycle.

Prototype

Our app, Evergy. has five main functions: Charging & Discharging, Response, Map & Booking, Mode, Profile.

Homepage - Charging & Discharging

which displays real-time power and remaining mileage. We chose different plant elements as representatives, and designed two versions, 3D and 2D, so that users can more clearly view the value of their contribution to the renewable energy power. By scanning the code, you can easily access the v2g system.

Response

which is divided into two parts, you can click to view specific tariff information, recommended time slots and charging suggestions, and you will also receive message alerts pushed by the system before the recommended time slots.

Map & Booking

You can check the status of nearby charging stations, enter the detail page to select the specific time and book successfully.

Mode

You can switch different modes according to the specific needs, such as: weekday, weekend, holiday and so on.

Profile

Firstly you can view the history of clocking in. Then you can go to the summary page, you can see the report of renewable energy saving, reduced carbon footprint, V2G response level. Similarly, in the return report page, you can see the specific benefits of your charging and discharging and the tariff comparison information.

Service Bluepint

In the response stage, the app’s backstage predicts the next day's peak hours based on real-time data and analysis to release information to user. After the user setting the schedule, the system will recommend the charging location and route. During the charging and discharging process, the system monitors the electric vehicle’s power level in real time and ends the response when it reaches the power level set by the user. When the response is complete, the user can view the contribution summary in profile. After discharging, the user receives a revenue bill.