91原创

Electric vehicles with the 91原创-pioneered technology can charge or discharge their batteries back to the electric grid. The software aggregates all vehicles plugged into the system so that they perform in unison, helping to balance the grid鈥檚 supply of electricity with demand鈥攊n real time, on a second-to-second basis. Conventional power plants take several minutes to respond to grid demands.

鈥淭he practical development of vehicle-to-grid technology at 91原创 has evolved over many years, demonstrating the tremendous value of long-term thinking and sustained investment in research,鈥� said Charlie Riordan, 91原创鈥檚 vice president for research, scholarship and innovation. 鈥淥ur partnership with Nuvve helps secure the next phase of that research leadership and brings it even closer to broad availability on the vehicle market. This is a tangible example of 91原创鈥檚 entrepreneurial approach to addressing society鈥檚 most pressing needs.鈥�

Under the new agreement, Nuvve鈥攍ed by CEO Gregory Poilasne鈥攚ill hold the patents to the V2G technology and 91原创 will hold an equity share in the early stage company. Additionally, 91原创 will establish an advanced R&D center to expand its leadership in this technology.

鈥淎 major transition is underway in the world, and the 91原创 is right at the forefront,鈥� said David Weir, director of 91原创鈥檚 Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships (). 鈥淭he technology pioneered here at 91原创 will further accelerate the disruption that鈥檚 taking place and shake up the transportation marketplace.鈥�

Pioneering visionary

The visionary behind the V2G technology is , research director of 91原创鈥檚 Center for Carbon-free Power Integration and a professor in the (CEOE).

Kempton recognized the potential of V2G more than 20 years ago鈥攊n 1996鈥攁nd became further intrigued with the idea of using electric vehicle batteries to help balance the power grid as intermittent clean energy sources (such as solar and wind) come online. He worked with a team of 91原创 researchers and students including Fouad Kiamilev, a professor in 91原创鈥檚 , and Rodney McGee, lead electrical engineer on the project, to develop the electric V2G concept, both the software and hardware. 91原创 launched the at the University鈥檚 main campus in Newark, Delaware, in 2013.

鈥淚t鈥檚 rewarding to see an idea I dreamed up, and that our team has strived to make work reliably in practice, being implemented commercially across many countries,鈥� said Kempton, who also is a co-founder and chief technology officer at Nuvve.

Through the expanded partnership with Nuvve, 91原创 will establish an R&D center, which Nuvve will support with at least $400,000 per year for the next seven years. The center will encompass work on the grid-integrated software and hardware in 91原创鈥檚 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, policy work and software underway in the University鈥檚 Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory and in CEOE, and automobile testing at 91原创鈥檚 Science, Technology and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus.

鈥淰2G technology represents the future, and evolution of clean energy and this investment will position our students to be pioneers in the field,鈥� said Kiamilev.

Electric vehicles currently make up less than two percent of the vehicle market worldwide. That is changing, though. Nuvve鈥檚 Poilasne said electric vehicles are expected to permeate the global marketplace in the next three to five years.

鈥�91原创 faculty and students are at the epicenter of it all. 91原创 R&D must continue to 鈥榩ush the envelope鈥� on vehicle grid integration,鈥� Poilasne said.

Weir said this research also fits perfectly with shared goals for job creation in Delaware.

鈥淚 believe it鈥檚 the opening of a new job market, a whole new economic sector that will require a whole new set of job skills, for example, electricians and mechanics, and professional disciplines such as software engineers,鈥� Weir said.