AUSTRALIA’S two biggest electricity providers, Origin Energy and AGL, have both announced fresh trials of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology – a system that lets certain electric vehicles feed power back into the grid.
AGL’s programme is the bigger of the two, opening this week for expressions of interest from owners of select Hyundai, Kia, BYD and Zeekr models. The trial will run for 12 months and, unlike earlier small-scale tests, covers customers under all major National Electricity Market (NEM) distribution networks in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.
Importantly, AGL has confirmed it is working directly with the carmakers to ensure that participation won’t affect the vehicle’s battery warranty.
Origin’s approach is a little different. According to Drive, instead of asking existing EV owners to join, the company is offering a subscription package tied to the BYD Atto 3. For under AUD800 (RM2,222) a month after tax savings, customers will get the car on a novated lease along with a StarCharge V2G Halo bi-directional wallbox.
The bundle also includes up to 320kWh of free energy each month – equivalent to roughly 24,000km of annual driving – provided the vehicle is connected to the charger for at least 12 hours a day, 20 days a month. Origin’s trial will be limited to just 50 customers and won’t officially begin until 2026.
V2G technology effectively turns EV batteries into mobile energy storage. Drivers can use the car to power their home during expensive peak periods and then recharge later when electricity is cheaper. It also allows energy to be sold back to the grid in exchange for credits to offset household bills.
