V2X Innovation Programme: Phase 1 projects
Updated 22 April 2024
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This programme is part of the up to £65 million overarching Flexibility Innovation Programme which seeks to enable large-scale widespread electricity system flexibility through smart, flexible, secure, and accessible technologies and markets. The Flexibility Innovation Programme will fund innovation across a range of key smart energy applications, and sits within the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP).
Vehicle to Heat Pump
- Total project grant: £108,136
- Project location: Newbury, South East
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Passiv UK Limited | £105,526 | £63,316 |
| Active Building Centre Ltd | £44,820 | £44,820 |
Project summary
The Vehicle to Heat Pump (V2HP) project brings together Passiv UK and the Active Building Centre (ABC) to prototype and trial a fully automated smart control system that will harness the flexibility of bi-directional electric vehicle (EV) charging combined with heat pump optimisation to enable smarter whole home and energy system operation. The project will enable domestic energy consumers to reduce their bills through the use of smart technologies with dynamic tariffs and flexibility services from networks that will require sophisticated monitoring, control, and integration. V2HP will combine and automate the operations of high-energy EV charging and heat pumps assets at the household level, delivering significant financial benefits to consumers.
V2X-Flex
- Total project grant: £220,356
- Project location: Reigate, South East
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| EV Dot Energy Ltd | £261,862 | £183,303 |
| Energy Systems Catapult Limited | £37,053 | £37,053 |
Project summary
V2X-Flex is a collaborative project aiming to unlock and expand the flexibility potential of electric vehicles (EVs) using interoperable, bi-directional charging solutions. The project will develop prototype software and a new business model which will reduce entry barriers for domestic use of V2X bi-directional chargers to provide energy flexibility services. The goal is to connect network operators and EV drivers through connected software.
Next Generation V2X Power Module
- Total project grant: £187,227
- Project location: West Worcestershire, West Midlands
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Indra Renewable Technologies Limited | £204,946 | £122,968 |
| Devtank Ltd | £91,799 | £64,259 |
Project summary
Indra have previously designed and manufactured certified hardware and software solutions in large V2G trials. They have exported their technology across the globe, manufacturing more than 1,000 units to date. Indra have considered the new requirements in expected operation and behaviour, including an increase in battery size (and voltage) and higher consumption within homes and through their project will address these requirements to proof-of-concept level by developing a new power module.
Entrust V2H Charger – Bidirectional DC/DC Charger for V2H Applications
- Total project grant: £235,168
- Project location: Morecambe and Lunesdale, North West
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Entrust EV Technology Ltd | £215,954 | £151,168 |
| University of Huddersfield | £84,000 | £84,000 |
Project summary
The project will develop a novel, market-focused smart bi-directional electric vehicle (EV) charger with V2H/V2G capabilities and associated control system for domestic properties with off-street parking. The project will integrate the smart home EV charger within a smart home microgrid and develop the communication between the smart home EV charger and the smart home microgrid controller for supervisory controlling the V2H functions.
Due to the innovative V2H functions, the smart home EV charger will enhance the performance of the smart home microgrid through maximising solar PV installation and self-consumption of solar PV power, enable significant cost reduction by reducing battery storage capacity, and facilitate increased use of off-peak grid electricity and reduction of peak power demand on the grid, as well as improved power efficiency.
Bi-directional MIMO DC/DC Converter for V2G/X Infrastructures
- Total project grant: £229,960
- Project location: Gateshead, North East
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Otaski Energy Solutions Ltd | £203,840 | £142,688 |
| Northumbria University | £87,272 | £87,272 |
Project summary
Otaski Energy Solutions has developed the INtuitIV Digital Lamppost (IDL), an intelligent lamppost capable of hosting streetlights, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, 5G pico-cell radios and sensors. We are expanding on our state-of-the-art technology by developing a V2X bi-directional EV charger with an intelligent observer for a high-gain bi-directional charging system. The proposed system also introduces the next-generation off-board bi-directional charging using DC Charge de move (CHAdeMO). The proposed solution will be compatible with a wide range of EVs and provides technical solutions to optimize EV battery performance and charging for on-street applications.
V2X Local Network Fleet Solution
- Total project grant: £199,089
- Project location: Lancaster and Fleetwood, North West
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Fuuse Limited | £132,619 | £92,833 |
| Turbo Power Systems Limited | £103,640 | £62,184 |
| Gridicity Ltd | £62,959 | £44,071 |
Project summary
This project investigates the feasibility of a functional vehicle-to-X operating framework that minimises the energy usage costs of the microgrid using electric vehicles (EVs) as storage for temporary mismatches between demand and supply. To investigate this issue, data will be collected to accurately predict EV plug-in times and energy demand in the day-ahead horizon using Artificial Intelligence. Optimal load balancing, minimising energy cost and maximising revenues from the provision of ancillary services for the next day, will then be evaluated using these accurate predictions. V2X DC microgrid infrastructure will be the basis for testing of use cases and demonstration of the technology. The combination of predictions, management platform, hardware infrastructure and testbed allows feasibility testing of an end-to-end V2X solution for fleets in a microgrid.
EV-shAIR
- Total project grant: £224,426
- Project location: Meon Valley, South East
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| J&B Hopkins Limited | £122,872 | £73,723 |
| University of Nottingham | £89,589 | £89,589 |
| EV Mobiliti Limited | £87,306 | £61,114 |
Project summary
EV-shAIR will focus on the business models which will enable the creation of value from V2X technologies for the benefit of the electricity operations at the East Midlands Airport to create an exemplar by using the collective battery capacity of parked electric vehicles (EVs) at the airport for the needs of the airport daily operations. Airports are facilities with needs similar to small or medium-sized towns. The EV charging will be where possible done through Solar Canopy arrays to achieve a Net Zero operation.
The output from our project will be to help the current and future EV engagement with V2X especially at an airport setting which offers predictable time journeys from passengers parking their EV at the airport for pre booked period of time. EV-shAIR will establish the best ways for the airport to manage and incentivise these passengers to park their EVs at the airport and use the collective virtual EV battery array through the latest V2X technology to power the airport operations and where feasible, to share in the value generated with the EV owners. This project will aim to generate new business opportunities for both the airport and their customers and the grid.
ENSTOREL-V2X - Mobile, Bidirectional EV Charging
- Total project grant: £219,334
- Project location: Coventry South, West Midlands
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Doublemsc Solutions Limited | £198,833 | £139,183 |
| University of Warwick | £60,081 | £60,081 |
| Arcadis Consulting (UK) Limited | £40,140 | £20,070 |
Project summary
This project aims to develop a novel bi-directional electric vehicle (EV) charger, ENSTOREL-V2X, which will allow drivers to charge their EV or to use the energy stored within it anytime and anywhere. ENSTOREL-V2X incorporates a smart mobile energy store and connections allowing it to be charged from a mains electricity supply or off-grid renewables, then transported to the EV, thereby alleviating range charge issues for EV users who may have range anxiety and allowing for those without off-street parking to charge. Furthermore, ENSTOREL-V2X will also be able to be charged by the EV’s battery and provide charge suitable for low power needs e.g., device charging, lighting, small appliances.
Zero Carbon Tariffs with Cashback for V2X enabled Non-domestic Customers
- Total project grant: £233,775
- Project location: Manchester Central, North West
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Qbots Energy Ltd | £213,186 | £149,230 |
| Keele University | £84,545 | £84,545 |
Project summary
Zero Carbon Tariffs with Cashback for V2X enabled Non-domestic Customers project will carry out industrial research on Qbots Energy’s innovative smart energy trading and optimisation platform, through a testbed at Keele University and carry out pilot trials in commercial sites in the Greater Manchester and Warrington/Cheshire regions. Qbots will launch the UK’s first zero-carbon tariffs for electric vehicle (EV) fleet and EV charging infrastructure operators through its EnergySaversClub with half-hourly renewable matching that utilises energy storage and flexibility in Electric vehicles, providing stable income streams for investments into bi-directional Electric Vehicle charging and cashback on electricity bills for customers by reducing imbalance costs. This project will deliver an accredited carbon-flexed trading platform with at-least 20 bi-directional chargers, 30 EV charging customer sites, five generators, 2MW of flexibility from vehicle batteries, energy storage and demand flexibility.
V2BUILD
- Total project grant: £73,734
- Project location: London
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Element Energy Ltd | £92,421 | £46,210 |
| Wallbox UK Limited | £55,047 | £27,524 |
Project summary
Vehicle-To-Building (V2B) chargers for electric vehicles (EVs) could be a key flexibility solution to help accelerate the decarbonisation of heat and address the energy crisis. Discharging power from EVs to buildings at times of peak demand on the network could allow for more efficient network capacity management and potentially quicker connections of heat pumps to the network. Furthermore, V2B chargers could allow buildings to maximise the use of low cost renewable electricity – from the network or from rooftop PV installations – and thus reduce fuel bills as well as emissions. The Vehicle-to-Building User Interface Learning Device (V2BUILD) project, led by Element Energy and Wallbox UK with support from UK Power Networks, aims to support the commercialisation of V2B. A key objective of the research will be to identify for which types of buildings, vehicle fleets, and locations V2B would be most suited as well as to explore business models which are best able to capture the value the technology provides.
Project INFLEXION
- Total project grant: £135,053
- Project location: London
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Kaluza Ltd | £199,984 | £99,992 |
| Indra Renewable Technologies Limited | £51,310 | £30,786 |
| OVO Energy Ltd | £4,034 | £2,017 |
| Volkswagen Group United Kingdom Limited | £4,516 | £2,258 |
Project summary
Project Inflexion will establish how we can deliver value through V2X via innovative methods that have not been tested in the UK. The project will initially carry out technical tests to validate the full stack of V2X flexibility value available using CCS 15118 comms. Following this they will develop an understanding for how we can remove the barriers to consumers on affordability of electric vehicles (EVs) + V2X in general and bring forward the potential energy market value to subsidise those. Finally, through building a sustainable business model that involves energy suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, hardware and software providers the project will develop compelling propositions which can be packaged up and delivered to consumers in a way that maximises value without prohibitive upfront capital costs.
Megawatt Charging Multidirectional Microgrids
- Total project grant: £234,075
- Project location: Warwick and Leamington, West Midlands
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Syselek (UK) Ltd | £142,520 | £99,764 |
| Levistor Ltd | £71,019 | £49,713 |
| Compound Semiconductor Applications | £84,598 | £84,598 |
Project summary
Megawatt charging systems are expected to be introduced from 2025 onwards to support the increasing number of electric HGVs. The predictable nature of most HGV operations and the large battery capacity of electric HGVs makes bidirectional charging attractive, with opportunities for network reinforcement, wider energy management, and fleet operator savings. The Megawatt Charging Multidirectional Microgrids project will undertake technical and economic assessment of the potential design, integration, and operation of innovative microgrid equipment, along with local energy storage to buffer very high-power flows, that can robustly deliver multidirectional megawatt charging of electric HGV fleets.
VEhiCle TO eneRgy communitieS
- Total project grant: £213,162
- Project location: London
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Power Networks Ltd | £162,976 | £114,083 |
| EDF Energy R&D UK Centre Limited | £59,947 | £29,974 |
| Loughborough University | £34,959 | £34,959 |
| Urbanomy UK Limited | £20,220 | £14,154 |
| Oxfordshire County Council | £19,992 | £19,992 |
Project summary
The ‘VEhiCle TO energy communitieS’ (VECTORS) project is a highly innovative, collaborative research and development project to support the realisation of V2X services, encapsulating V2Home at its core and expanding on V2Community and aggregated V2Grid concepts. Fundamentally, the project proposes an innovative, cost-effective and user-friendly approach to enable realisation of V2X services, optimising the needs of electric vehicle (EV) end-users, different household topologies and of the network as a whole. In particular, VECTORS shall confirm the proof-of-concept through a multi-layered real-time optimisation and control framework, considering multiple objectives for the various actors and stakeholders.
Leasy V2H
- Total project grant: £170,690
- Project location: Harrogate and Knaresborough, Yorkshire and the Humber
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| GenGame Ltd | £92,836 | £55,701 |
| Evergreen Smart Power Ltd | £83,472 | £50,083 |
| Chameleon Technology (UK) Limited | £76,620 | £45,972 |
| Enappsys Ltd | £27,048 | £18,934 |
Project summary
Current V2X models offer a challenging business case. Upfront cost of hardware is high which makes financial returns in attractive timeframes challenging. The variety of use cases and models is difficult for customers to assess for their own circumstances. There is an opportunity to simplify this for end users in the domestic market. For success in V2Home, the market needs a cost-effective route to hardware with an effective whole-home optimisation platform. LeasyV2H seeks to address these challenges with a unique business model, tailored to the specific home use case, created through intelligent optimisation and bespoke packages for customers based on data insights.
Secure-V2B
- Total project grant: £209,100
- Project location: Birmingham, West Midlands
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Petalite Limited | £248,803 | £174,162 |
| RTS Technology Solutions Limited | £49,911 | £34,938 |
Project summary
Secure-V2B project aims to securely integrate the power management systems in smart buildings with the growing number of V2X vehicles. This capability allows for peaks in grid-provided electricity demand to be shifted further in time than is currently practicable and enables car parks to supplement a neighbouring building’s power needs during high transient energy demands. This project will address the barriers to widescale adoption of V2B and widen the economic viability of V2X. This data from this project will facilitate energy market participation, so building operators and EV owners are compensated and encouraged to participate in V2B / DSR services. It will also help to build AI models giving decision support around load scheduling and power management through V2B flexibility options at the local site.
BEVScanV2X
- Total project grant: £165,405
- Project location: London
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Agile Charging Ltd | £191,222 | £133,855 |
| Hiyacar Limited | £45,072 | £31,550 |
Project summary
BEVScanV2X seeks to overcome battery degradation and perception challenges by creating a cost-effective tool to monitor battery health and advise optimal approaches to maximise battery life and financial returns from V2X. It will apply innovative algorithms across data obtained from the vehicle and battery to provide the most accurate health assessment possible outside of a battery test lab. This will support customers to increase V2X uptake by removing their concerns and breeding confidence that they are optimising their battery health.
V2VNY
- Total project grant: £145,311
- Project location: Saffron Walden, East of England
| Participant Organisation | Project Cost | Project Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Hanger 19 Ltd | £158,346 | £110,842 |
| Crowd Charge Limited | £49,241 | £34,469 |
Project summary
V2VNY proposes the development of a unique AC-V2G solution, targeted at the fleet customer market, which utilizes a three-socket charger design which enables potential of V2G, V2B and V2V applications. Fused with CrowdCharge’s patented optimization tools, it unlocks maximum value from V2X services for fleet clients. The unique design has significant potential for V2V, supporting critical fleets in outages or fleets who need to prioritise energy to specific vehicles, opening new business model opportunities for different user groups.