Battery Interface and Communications
It is critical to communicate key battery parameters and manage the battery charge, temperature and usage, via an integrated battery management system. Hence the interface, via power electronics to the grid, and via wireless communications between BMS and grid control, require investigation in 2 sub‐tasks.
Task 2.1 ‐ Battery Management System and Communications
Technical Challenge – Knowledge of the connectivity and aggregation of a large amount of EVs requires reliable real‐time communication channels to exchange information between the EVs and the V2G system operator. Cheap and reliable communication networks such as the 3G mobile phone system are ideally suited to ‘annunciate’ EV connection, pass GPS location, vehicle and BMS parameters, and implement control. This data exchange needs to be fast, secure and robust and the latency and bandwidth of the communication networks, and the data requirements, need to be studied and defined.
Task 2.2 ‐ Battery/Grid Interface
Technical Challenge – Intrinsic to V2G operation is a power electronic bidirectional charger that is capable of charging and discharging the battery on demand (within BMS constraints), while complying with grid standards. Both research and commercial bidirectional inverters exist, however they typically use conventional 2‐level PWM converter topologies, and silicon power electronic devices switching at relatively low frequencies. As a result, they are relatively bulky (compared to the size of the battery or EV).