VPP Demonstration Project for Reuse Technology of EV Drive Batteries

The Chugoku Electric Power Company, Incorporated

Illustration of VPP Services

Illustration of VPP System for this Demonstration Test

Verification Contents for This Demonstration Test (Example)

Outline

From the perspectives of effectively utilizing renewable energy, balancing supply and demand on power systems, and leveling out loads, attention is gathering on virtual power plants (hereinafter, "VPP") which gather together the numerous dispersed power sources owned by general households or factories, such as renewable energy, EVs, and batteries, and integrate and control them as if they were a single generation plant.
In order to verify the possibilities to reuse EV drive batteries and utilize them as VPP resources, our company is engaged in a demonstration project related to understanding the responsiveness and deterioration properties of reused batteries. Through these efforts, we will achieve VPP services and contribute to advancing energy usage including the effective utilization of renewable energy.

Description

1. Attainment Target in the Challenge
As EVs become more widely used, it is expected that there will be an increase in batteries that have completed their role for EV driving in the future. We will reuse these batteries as a stationary system, combine them with dispersed power sources including renewable energy, and perform integrated control to investigate the possibilities of utilizing them as VPP resources.
Utilizing the control technology and the like gained through this, we aim to achieve various VPP services for matters such as the effective utilization of renewable energy and balancing supply and demand.

2. Issues to Overcome in Achieving the Challenge
There is the issue that, even if they are the same model, the EV drive batteries to be reused each have different degrees of deterioration, and therefore control for ensuring maximum performance is difficult. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand factors such as responsiveness and deterioration properties in order to utilize the batteries in a VPP service.

3. Detailed Actions
In this demonstration project, at the Energia Economic and Technical Research Institute (Higashihiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture), which is performing demonstrations of integrated control for photovoltaic power generation, EVs, electric water heaters, and the like, we will construct stationary systems reusing EV drive batteries to verify* factors such as the responsiveness and deterioration properties of the batteries as a new resource.
*Implemented as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry "Demonstration Project for the Construction of a Virtual Power Plant Utilizing Consumer-side Energy Resources"

This demonstration project is implemented jointly with Meidensha Corporation and Mazda Motor Corporation and is being promoted with the companies dividing roles as shown below.

(Division of roles for each company)
・ Chugoku Electric Power: External integration and control of resources based on the purpose of the VPP
・ Meidensha: Development of a power converter for controlling reused EV drive batteries
・ Mazda: Improvement, performance evaluation, and analysis of reused EV drive batteries

4. Effect When the Challenge Is Achieved
・ Effective utilization of renewable energy
By charging the batteries when the photovoltaic power generation is at its peak output and discharging it at other times, we will contribute to avoiding generation output control involved in expanding introduction of renewable energy.
・ Quality maintenance for power systems
By utilizing reused batteries and verifying the function for controlling supply and demand balance, we will contribute to the quality maintenance of power systems.
・ Effective utilization of resources
The expansion of reuse applications for EV drive batteries will not only lead to the effective use of resources but also contribute to improving the value of EVs.