For one year, the power of 50 electric vehicles will be fed back into the grid from their batteries when they are not running, car-sharing company Mobility which leads the project said on TuesdayExternal link.
The “V2X Switzerland” project was launched in Bern, bringing together a total seven companies including car maker Honda. It also has support from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy and the Federal Technology Institute Zurich ETH), according to the press release.
Mobility is providing 50 “Honda e” electric cars for this pilot project, spread over 40 locations across the country. According to the car-sharing company, this is the first large-scale test of its kind.
The purpose of the test is to study for a year how electric cars can be used as batteries to fill power shortages and enhance grid stability. Mobility says the project is designed in such a way that, if successful, it can be directly transformed into a permanent operation.
The idea behind the project is that the electric cars do not only consume power but can also feed it back, especially since they are often stationary. Grid operators and households can use the power from the electric cars during peak hours, while the cars can be fully recharged during the day – when the sun is shining – at a lower rate, explains Mobility. It says energy is fed back into the grid for only 15 minutes, so that there is always a sufficient reserve for journeys.
Swiss Environment Minister Simonetta Sommaruga welcomed the project, saying it would help Switzerland to free itself from fossil fuels.
Mobility has a fleet of 3,010 vehicles parked in 1,560 different places and 242,300 clients.
Popular Stories
More
Climate change
Switzerland turns train tracks into solar power plants
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
This content was published on
Primary school children in the Swiss canton of Nidwalden will not be allowed to use mobile phones and other electronic devices..
This content was published on
Switzerland has increased maximum possible output from hydropower by 43 megawatts compared to last year, according to the Swiss energy ministry.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Leading Swiss energy firm granted credit to avoid cash crisis
This content was published on
The Swiss government has granted Axpo a CHF4 billion credit line to prevent a liquidity crisis for the country's largest energy company.
This content was published on
Car-sharing company Mobility says it will electrify its entire fleet of 3,000 vehicles and build a network of e-charging stations by 2030.
This content was published on
“I have been using this scheme for the last five years,” said one man from Zurich. “It’s an excellent way – in addition to public transport – to get around cities and towns.” While this man abandoned his own car, he has not given up on personal motorised transport. He is just one of 47,000…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.