Nissan and EGAT respond to virtual power plant agenda and test power supply from EV to grid
27 October 2022Nissan Thailand joined hands with EGAT to study and test controlling power supply from multiple EV batteries to grid simultaneously via the EGAT V2G & VPP system developed by EGAT in response to the virtual power plant agenda and to enhance the country’s power system security in the future.
On October 26, 2022, Mr. Nashida Kazuya, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand, delivered a congratulatory speech for the cooperation between Nissan Motor (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to pilot the study of energy conversion between electric vehicles (EVs) and the power grid, as well as the control of power supply from the National Power Center. On this occasion, Dr. Siri Jirapongphan, consultant for the Minister of Energy chaired the project’s opening ceremony, joined by Mr. Isao Sekiguchi, President of Nissan Thailand; Mr. Boonyanit Wongrukmit, EGAT Governor; and executives from both organizations, at the Auditorium, EGAT 50th Anniversary Building, EGAT Headquarters, Nonthaburi Province.
Mr. Isao Sekiguchi revealed that Nissan has been operating in Thailand for 70 years and is determined to support the country’s development in all aspects, especially sustainable development. As a leader that has been developing EV technology continuously and is highly recognized worldwide with the ‘Ambition 2030’ vision to develop automobile technology for the environment and sustainable development, Nissan was pleased to support the study of finding ways to drive Thailand toward a low carbon society by 2065. Nissan Thailand hopes that this collaboration will benefit all sectors of Thai society and support Thailand to achieve carbon neutrality in the future.
Mr. Boonyanit Wongrukmit added that promoting the use of EVs in Thailand is an important step in driving the country to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As an organization responsible for the country’s power system security, EGAT has prepared the power system and power management to support the increase of EV use in the future, as well as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology. EGAT developed the EGAT V2G & VPP system for controlling power supply from multiple EV batteries to grid simultaneously and supplying power to the Demand Response Control Center (DRCC) of EGAT, in order to respond to the virtual power plant (VPP) agenda and support the purchase of leftover electricity from EV batteries to grid in the future. The system will act as a backup to enhance the country’s power system security, especially during peak demand in accordance to Thailand’s Smart Grid Development Plan, Intermediate Phase, B.E. 2565-2574, under the ERC Sandbox Project, Phase 2, to study suitable V2G technologies for Thailand, as well as using the data to determine the regulations to be in line with the use of new energy in the future.
Under this collaboration, Nissan Thailand and EGAT will jointly study the power supply from Nissan LEAF’s battery to grid, used as a backup power supply. Nissan LEAF is 100% EV and supports bi-directional charging. In addition to charging the EV, the battery can supply electricity to EGAT’s grid via the world’s first bi-directional home charger, Quasar by Wallbox, a global leader in EV chargers and smart energy management system, imported by INNOPOWER Company Limited that also provides after-sales services. The project studies the possibility of using electricity from EV batteries for maximum benefit.