Exploiting PEV batteries for V2X applications

In a number of emerging and growing applications, the batteries of the plug-in vehicles (PEVs) when connected to the grid, homes, or buildings, can provide temporal “buffer” zones that can decouple the time when generation is available and when demand occurs. This buffering is achieved by storing energy during certain periods (e.g., off-peak hours) and feeding it back to the grid when needed. These applications are, collectively, referred to as vehicle-to-X (V2X) services, where X can represent the grid (G), a building (B), a home (H), or other PEVs (V). Developing and promoting widely such V2X applications has two major advantages: the first is that it can enhance the efficiency of grid operations and, second, it can facilitate the mainstream adoption of PEVs.