Go Willett Kempton. I met the guy when I worked for NYSERDA. Great guy with a great initiative.

V2G Gaining Momentum

By Bill Moore

Dialogue with University of Delaware theorist, Dr. Willett Kempton on Seattle V2G Forum

Dr. Willett Kempton is one of the original developers of the idea, along with his colleague Dr. Steve Letendre from Green Mountain College. He was one of more than a dozen presenters at the V2G Forum that was held over two days in Seattle’s city hall. EV World talked to Dr. Kempton after the event to find out what was discussed and where V2G goes from here.

So V2G technology enables electric car batteries to draw energy from and discharge energy back to the electric grid. Linked together, multiple electric vehicle (EV) batteries can form a virtual power plant.  I use to say when I worked for NYPA that 1,000 cars can equal a MW of power.  These batteries  can safely store and supply power to the electrical grid. In this way, the car can store energy when the grid has too much and then return it to help the grid balance demands for electricity when it is needed, all with zero emissions and minimal impact on the planet.

It’s an innovative idea that grew out of federally funded research by V2G pioneer Willett Kempton and others at UD in the late 1990s.