BGE, Sunrun and Ford announce the launch of the first bi-directional vehicle-to-home charging program that allows electric vehicle owners to use the transport battery to power their home electric grid.
The first customer to benefit
This innovative “vehicle-to-home” program is focusing on the use of Ford F-150 Lightning vans in conjunction with Sunrun Home integration systems, with the goal of reducing peak energy consumption during BGE’s electrical system peak hours.
Brian Foreman has become the first customer in the country to use the power from his F-150 Lightning for his home, following a pre-set schedule regardless of the state of his electric service. Among Foreman’s remarks, he appreciated the opportunity to be the first person to use products and technologies that contribute to infrastructure development and improvement.
His home location is in Howard County, and Foreman uses the Sunrun integration system. Sunrun’s integration system integration system to discharge his truck’s battery during peak demand hours on the grid, especially on summer days. The technology developed by Sunrun and Ford allows the F-150 Lightning’s battery to work in conjunction with BGE’s electric service, supplementing additional home charging. Previously, the F-150 Lightning could only serve as a backup power source, in the event of power outages.
BGE Vice President of Regulatory Policy and Strategy Mark Case cited the importance of stored energy in electric vehicles in meeting the state’s net-zero emissions goals. According to Case, the experiences of Foreman and other customers will provide valuable insights into how vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid programs can improve grid efficiency and reliability while delivering new benefits to customers.
Sunrun and Ford’s “Bi-directional Vehicle-to-Home Charging
BGE has been a pioneer in this field, in collaboration with Sunrun and Ford, ahead of the deadlines set by the DRIVE Act. This law requires BGE to develop a process for interconnecting vehicle-to-grid facilities by November 1, 2024, and submit a pilot proposal using this technology to the Maryland Public Service Commission by July 1, 2025.
BGE’ s pilot program will collect data from a select group of customers who own an F-150 Lightning with Ford Intelligent Backup Power, a Ford Charge Station Pro connected to the Sunrun Home Integration System. Now, the insights gained, Sunrun and BGE plan to expand the program, offer incentives for more F-150 Lightning owners to adopt bi-directional charging and develop direct vehicle-to-grid capabilities for sharing power from the electric vehicles.
Sunrun’s Director of Grid Services, Chris Rauscher, praised the collaboration with BGE and Ford, noting the virtual power plants with two-way electric vehicles will play a major role in the transition to clean energy. Rauscher expressed his desire to expand these innovative programs with BGE and other utilities across the country.
This program has been made possible in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, which encourages the adoption of electric vehicles nationwide. BGE’s EVsmart app offers customers discounts, tools and information to charge their vehicles faster and more efficiently.
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Source and photo: BGE
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