SSE has teamed up with Dutch smart charging firm Jedlix to provide balancing services from electric vehicles (EVs) using its platform.
The partners said they are aiming to create the UK’s largest virtual power plant (VPP) to sell flexibility services in the Balancing Mechanism and to distribution network operators.
Stephen Stead, director of strategy and digital services at SSE Energy Solutions, said: “Acting as a network of hundreds-of-thousands of mobile batteries, EVs can help reduce renewable energy assets’ dependency on traditional battery storage by creating a virtual power plant that can provide the grid with greater system flexibility.
“Our milestone partnership with Jedlix will not only help tackle the grid balancing challenges faced by networks, but reward EV customers for enabling a more sustainable and robust energy system.”
Jedlix chief executive Serge Subiron said: “We are thrilled to have this cooperation with SSE, one of the leaders in the British energy sector.
“This has the potential to establish the largest VPP for EVs in the UK. By opening the capacity to bid on the Balancing Mechanism, we have the perfect set up to enable existing and new B2B platform partners and also local energy retailers.
Earlier this week, Octopus Electric Vehicles announced it is preparing to enter a fleet of 130 cars into the Balancing Mechanism within the next few months as part of its Powerloop vehicle-to-grid charging project.