Vehicle-to-grid technology is ready to take off in Australia – but how can we overcome the hurdles and ensure it lives up to its potential?
A landmark collaboration between CSIRO and Essential Energy demonstrated how commercially available chargers paired with rooftop solar can store daytime solar output in an electric vehicle (EV) battery, then discharge that energy back to homes or the grid overnight.
Trials at Essential Energy’s Port Macquarie lab demonstrated vehicle-to-grid’s (V2G) power to integrate renewables, boost resilience and lower household bills – underscoring industry forecasts that, by the early 2030s, EV fleets could surpass all other National Electricity Market (NEM) storage assets combined.
Indeed, bidirectional charging is on the cusp of major development. In February, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and RACE for 2030 published a roadmap to realising the benefits of V2G, and following the successful CSIRO–Essential Energy trial, bidirectional charging hardware and EV models compatible with V2G are poised to arrive in Australia this year.
Standards Australia has already updated the AS/NZS 4777 grid-connection standard to explicitly cover bidirectional charging, and the Clean Energy Council (CEC) will soon certify and list V2G chargers for national deployment.
Once a device is CEC-listed, distributors in each state can permit installations under existing frameworks.
V2G roadblocks
Despite compelling benefits, V2G faces several hurdles:
- Regulatory alignment: Currently, only South Australia actively allows the installation of home-use V2G systems – other states are awaiting CEC-listed hardware and local distributor approvals
- Up-front costs: Early bidirectional chargers carry a premium (around $10,000), though increased competition is forecast to push prices below $6,000 by the end of 2025
- Standards and consumer confidence: A clear, national framework is essential to reassure buyers and streamline roll-out
Paving the way to V2G
So – how can we overcome these challenges and ensure V2G lives up to its potential?
Join more than 350 EVCI leaders, public-sector decision-makers and industry innovators at the second Annual EV Infrastructure Summit to discuss this very question.
The premier, two-day event is dedicated to accelerating Australia’s EV charging infrastructure and promises to a wealth of insight into EV and V2G innovation.
In 2025, more than half of the sessions will be devoted to the breakthrough potential of V2G technology, bringing together the key players poised to turn bidirectional charging from pilot projects into mainstream reality.
At the Summit on 17–18 June, attendees will explore how policymakers, utilities, developers and charging-point operators can collaborate to resolve these key challenges – fast-tracking Australia’s transition to a V2G-enabled grid.
Learn from V2G leaders and innovators
The event has curated a powerful lineup of sessions and roundtables that dive deep into the technical, commercial and regulatory dimensions of V2G, including:
- Developing municipal V2G services: City of Utrecht (Netherlands) Transition Manager, Matthijs Kok, will share lessons from scaling city-wide V2G offerings
- Australian V2G trial insights: CSIRO Transport Electrification Lead, Kate Cavanagh, and Essential Energy COO, Luke Jenner, will reveal findings from their joint V2G demonstration
- Preparing for V2G in community settings – Inner West Council Team Leader Strategic Transport, Ken Welsh, will host a roundtable on community batteries, charging partnerships and equitable access
- Navigating regulation for council fleets: Schneider Electric Standardisation & Regulation Pacific Manager, Lucy Finlay, will examine the CEC certification pathway and compliance considerations
- Commercial pathways and pilot programs: Evenergi Infrastructure Delivery Lead, Evan Beaver, will lead a discussion on real-world business models and lessons from early adopters
Backed by industry
ARENA CEO, Darren Miller, champions V2G as “the future of distributed energy storage,” projecting that even ten per cent EV participation could satisfy 37 per cent of NEM storage needs – all while saving Australians up to $5 billion by reducing large-scale battery investments.
Government agencies, utilities, OEMs and technology providers will be on-site to signal their commitment to a V2G-enabled future.
Secure your place
Don’t miss your chance to connect with the people shaping the next generation of charging at the second Annual EV Infrastructure Summit from 17–18 June 2025 at the Doltone House Jones Bay Wharf in Sydney.
Visit the website to view the full program, speaker line-up and registration details.
