Further demonstrating its commitment to electric vehicle innovation, including domestic battery supply chain, energy storage, and electric vehicle grid integration, the Department of Energy (DoE) announced last week a Request for Information (RFI) for Electric Vehicle (EV) Grid Integration and $200 million in funding for electric vehicles, batteries, and connected vehicles projects at DoE national labs.
Complimenting the Vehicle Technologies Office’s $62 million in funding for low emissions transportation projects, the $200 million funding opportunity focuses on electric and connected vehicle projects, and supports battery sourcing innovations – like sustainable mining and battery recycling – which strengthen the domestic lithium battery market, insulate against foreign battery supply chain disruptions, and further the goals of the DoE’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge. The funding is open to DOE’s network of 17 national laboratories and followed recommendations from the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries’ recently released National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries 2021-2030.
The DoE also released an RFI for EV Grid Integration, exploring the relationship between increased EV penetration and potential grid impacts and resiliency. DoE is requesting information from stakeholders on the following issues:
- Use of EVs to maintain the reliability of the electric grid
- Impact of grid integration on EVs
- Increased penetration of EVs and associated impacts on grid
- Standards to integrate EVs with the grid, including communications systems, protocols, and charging stations
- Cybersecurity challenges resulting from transportation electrification
The RFI for EV Grid Integration is not a funding opportunity. However, information collected may be used by DoE in its “Vehicles to Grid Integration Assessment Report” to Congress.
For more information on both opportunities, please visit the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.