Towards a Net Zero and Resilient New Brunswick Grid via Vehicle to X Technology

Efforts to boost intermittent renewables and electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the New Brunswick (NB) grid will indeed reduce emissions, however, it will also result in irregular electricity patterns that are highly localized and volatile, thus threatening grid stability and slowing emission reductions. To address these gaps, the post 2030 NB grid must utilize clean technologies that flexibly balance energy supply and demand. Thus, our proposed 18-month project, "Towards a Net Zero and Resilient NB Grid via Vehicle to X (V2X) Technology," will develop, demonstrate, and forecast how V2X utilizes EVs as flexible power sources to lower emissions by charging with renewable energy and discharging at peak periods, while providing backup power during outages in severe weather events. The ultimate research objective is to determine if V2X can help the NB grid reach net-zero emissions status by 2050.

Objectives:

(1) Develop control algorithms for V2X energy management for diverse buildings (residential/commercial/rural) to maximize charging time with renewable availability, generate schedules that reduce peak demand, and provide backup power during outages.

(2) Demonstrate the V2X control algorithms at 2-3 different buildings for a minimum of 6 months to investigate its efficacy in reducing emissions, peak load, outages, and electricity bills.

(3) Forecast the impact of V2X from 2030-2050 on emissions reduced, peak load reduced, renewables maximized, interruptions minimized, and resultant economic benefit to the NB grid.

Outcomes:

(1) A pioneering NB demonstration pilot showcasing V2X efficacy in emissions and outage reduction.
(2) A final report documenting lessons learned from the pilot, forecast of V2X impact on the NB grid from 2030-2050, and final recommendations for future uptake (in collaboration with NB Power and Saint John Energy).
(3) Employment opportunities for 2 undergraduate/graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds.
(4) Publishing two journal papers with novel datasets and 1 public facing, in-person technical demonstration/workshop."