Free Bi-Directional EV Chargers Tested to Improve Massachusetts Power Grid
1 58Somewhere on America's eastern coast, there's an economic development agency in Massachusetts promoting green energy solutions. And Monday the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (or MassCEC) announced "a first-of-its-kind" program to see what happens when they provide free electric vehicle chargers to selected residents, school districts, and municipal projects.
The catch? The EV chargers are bi-directional, able "to both draw power from and return power to the grid..." The program hopes to "accelerate the adoption of V2X technologies, which, at scale, can lower energy bills by reducing energy demand during expensive peak periods and limiting the need for new grid infrastructure." This functionality enables EVs, including electric buses and trucks, to provide backup power during outages and alleviate pressure on the grid during peak energy demand. These bi-directional chargers will enable EVs to act as mobile energy storage assets, with the program expected to deliver over one megawatt of power back to the grid during a demand response event — enough to offset the electricity use of 300 average American homes for an hour. "Virtual Power Plants are the future of our electrical grid, and I couldn't be more excited to see this program take off," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "We're putting the power of innovation directly in the hands of Massachusetts residents. Bi-directional charging unlocks new ways to protect communities from outages and lower costs for families and public fleets...."
Additionally, the program will help participants enroll in existing utility programs that offer compensation to EV owners who supply power back to the grid during peak times, helping participants further lower their electricity costs. By leveraging distributed energy resources and reducing grid strain, this program positions Massachusetts as a national leader in clean energy innovation.
1 comments
Actual data from the FAQ (Score: 5, Interesting)
by SubmergedInTech ( 7710960 ) on Saturday February 07, 2026 @01:09PM (#65974772)
From https://www.masscec.com/massce... [masscec.com], they expect to draw 3kW - 10kW for 3 hours, for a total draw of 9 kWh - 30 kWh.
We have a Kona EV with a 65 kWh battery, which we limit to 80% charge to maximize battery life. Their expected draw is 14% - 46% of battery life. With our existing V2L adapter, the Kona can specify the minimum battery level where it will cut off. If we set it to cut off at 60%, then they could have 20% of the battery, but no more. 60% is enough for all our expected driving for a couple days, so I'd be comfortable with that. But also, odds are that the power drain event will be in the evening, and there'll be plenty of time overnight to recharge back to 80%.
Lithium batteries don't like being charged all the way to 100% or drained to 0%, but running them back and forth between 60-80% won't measurably damage them for thousands of cycles.
If the software were better, we'd be able to say, "We want to be back at 80% at 5AM. And in any case, we want to keep at least 60% of our battery for our own needs - driving, V2L for our own house in a power failure, etc. Within those constraints, you're welcome to the rest of the power, but we're selling it at $0.60/kWh. If you *really* want power, we'll go from 60% to 40%, but it'll cost you $1.00/kWh below 60%." And then the grid could decide whether it's willing to pay our price, and how much it wants.