Hydro-Québec launches V2G-V2H [repost]

26 July 2012

[This is a repost of the H-Q story. Due to as as-yet undiagnosed pubishing problem, some stories, as H-Q below, render on the home page, but have a dead link to the remainder. TypePad is working on it. —GCC]

Hydro-Québec’s research institute (IREQ) has awarded GRIDbot Canada the contract for the development and supply of an advanced bidirectional charging station for an experimental project on vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home power exchanges (V2G-V2H).

To carry out the project, IREQ will assemble an electric test vehicle that will showcase Québec-designed technologies. TM4, a Hydro-Québec subsidiary, will supply a latest-generation TM4 MФTIVE electric powertrain system. (Earlier post.) B3CG Interconnect, a company from Saint-Eustache, along with its partners, the Centre National du Transport Avancé (national centre for advanced transportation) in Saint-Jérôme and Brioconcept, based in Laval, developed a bidirectional charger that will be integrated to the charging station built by GRIDbot.

This company also develops a lithium iron phosphate battery, an advanced material patented by IREQ, and a complex management system.

The goal of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems is to use the electricity stored in the batteries of plug-in vehicles as backup energy for electricity grids, such as the Hydro-Québec power system, during peak periods. Vehicle-to-home (V2H) systems, on the other hand, allow plug-in vehicle owners to use the energy stored in the battery as a temporary power source during outages, as they would a generator.

We would like to better define the long-term potential of this technology. Through this initiative, Hydro-Québec will continue to spearhead the integration of electric vehicles into the power system and become a showcase for Québec know-how.

—Denis Faubert, General Manager of IREQ

The project will receive financial support from the Québec government as part of its 2011-2020 Action Plan for Electric Vehicles. This plan gave Hydro-Québec a mandate to define the implications of these innovative concepts and to carry out all required experiments.

GRIDbot Canada specializes in the design and installation of charging infrastructure for municipal, commercial and multi-residential electric vehicles, offers a global solution for the networking of VEs. GRIDbot is one of the largest manufacturers of public, commercial and residential charging stations in Canada.

B3CG Interconnect is a supplier of original sub-contracting solutions for electric cable, complex harness and electromechanical assemblies for the ground transport, medical equipment, industrial systems and power generation industries. B3CG’s strategy also involves leveraging its expertise in connectivity and power batteries to develop exclusive technology for smart modules designed for electric vehicle batteries.

The Centre National du Transport Avancé (formerly CEVEQ) is a non-profit organization based in Saint-Jérôme. Since 1996, it has been operating in the advanced transportation sector, with a focus on electric and hybrid vehicles.

Brioconcept is an electronics consulting and design company based in Laval that offers services to technology companies looking to prototype their electronic products.