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ChargeScape, an automotive joint venture focused on electric vehicle-grid integration, and Nissan have launched a new vehicle-to-grid (V2G) pilot in the utility territory covered by Silicon Valley Power (SVP).
The pilot is possible through the California Energy Commission’s Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) programme Option 3.
Silicon Valley is one of the world’s data centre hotspots, where the rise of AI has caused a surge in electricity demand, which many power grids were not designed to withstand.
To mitigate this, SVP is seeking innovative ways to quickly increase power supply to meet this new demand, in order to ensure grid reliability for all customers, which is where the new pilot comes in.
At Nissan’s Advanced Technology Center in Silicon Valley, this pilot will use energy stored in EV batteries from Nissan EVs, managed by Fermata Energy’s bidirectional chargers, to export power during periods of grid strain.
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ChargeScape will coordinate with market partner Leap to discharge power from Nissan vehicles and free up supply for data centre loads. The pilot is part of ChargeScape and Leap’s broader California Virtual Power Plant.
Commenting in a release was Rich Miller, vice president of Vehicle Connected Services at Nissan US: “Through this collaboration, we’re showcasing how electric vehicles can reinforce our communities’ electrical needs and deliver meaningful benefits to drivers.”
Said Joseph Vellone, CEO of ChargeScape: “Integrating Nissan’s EV batteries into Silicon Valley Power’s grid is a crucial first step to shoring up long-term grid reliability and rewarding the EV drivers who are part of the solution.”
Said Hamza Lemsaddek, chief operating officer of Fermata Energy: “At Fermata Energy, we are demonstrating how AI-enabled V2X optimisation can transform electric vehicles into intelligent grid resources.
“By pairing our platform with bidirectional chargers at Nissan’s Innovation Lab, we’re proving that EVs can strengthen data centre reliability, support utilities like Silicon Valley Power, and deliver real economic value back to drivers and communities.”
According to ChargeScape, the pilot will lay the groundwork for other V2G programmes across California and other US states.
Through this and other ChargeScape programmes, participating EV drivers will earn money for helping the power grid, a mechanism the company believes will help make EVs more affordable in the long run.
