If you spend enough time talking to someone who knows a thing or two about bidirectional charging, you may get the sense that Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology could be the solution to all of our pending electric load growth problems.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is about to put that notion to the test in a first-of-its-kind statewide V2X Demonstration Program, set to be one of the largest state-led V2X initiatives ever attempted in the U.S. The two-year initiative will deploy bidirectional charging infrastructure to enhance grid resilience, reduce energy costs, and increase renewable energy integration across Massachusetts, aiming to aid the grid by using electric vehicles (EVs) as energy storage.
100 bidirectional chargers will be distributed to residential, school bus, municipal, and commercial fleet participants. The chargers will effectively turn participants’ vehicles into mobile energy storage assets comprising an estimated 1.5 megawatts (MW) of new storage capacity statewide. The program prioritizes low-income and disadvantaged communities, ensuring equitable access to cutting-edge clean energy solutions.
“Vehicle-to-everything technology is key to leveraging electric vehicles as assets to the grid, both as a financial resource and improving reliability,” explained Rachel Ackerman, the senior director of clean transportation at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. “Through targeted deployment of bidirectional chargers across a variety of sectors, barriers can be quickly identified and resolved, demonstrating a clear pathway for an accelerated application of V2X technology. MassCEC’s V2X program is a crucial step in Massachusetts’s efforts to enable wide-scale adoption of electric vehicles.”
Sign me up for a free charger
If you’d like to participate in the program, MassCEC is seeking residential, commercial, and school district applicants who own or are in the process of purchasing an EV capable of bidirectional charging. If accepted, you’ll receive a free bidirectional charger, including equipment and installation.
During the program period, charging data from the installed equipment will be collected and analyzed as part of the V2X Demonstration Program design. Participants may also be called upon to contribute information about their bidirectional charging experience. EV owners and fleet operators enrolled in the program will also benefit from the bidirectional chargers’ backup power capabilities, and some will be compensated for sending power back to the grid.
EV owners can apply for the program now through June 2025. For more information, visit the MassCEC V2X Program webpage or check out some of the state’s other electric vehicle charging infrastructure programs.
Want to learn more about the potential of V2X technology and how virtual power plants can help the grid? Check out ‘Customers just want hot showers and cold beer’: The challenges and opportunities of virtual power plants on Factor This.
Initial participants
Clean energy solutions provider Resource Innovations (RI) and The Mobility House (TMH), a vehicle-grid integration (VGI) technology company, have already been selected by MassCEC to spearhead the new V2X program.
“With the charging infrastructure provided through this program, we’re eliminating financial barriers and enabling school districts, homeowners, and fleets to access reliable backup power,” said Kelly Helfrich, the vice president of transportation electrification practice at Resource Innovations. “By documenting our processes, we aim to create a scalable blueprint for V2X programs nationwide.”
“This program activates the potential of EVs as energy storage assets,” added Russell Vare, VP of vehicle grid integration at TMI North America. “Bidirectional charging benefits vehicle owners by providing backup power and revenue opportunities while strengthening the grid for the entire community.”
