Vehicle-Solar-Grid Integration II: Results in Simulated School Bus Operation

This paper describes operating results with vehicle–solar-grid integration at the GridSTAR facility of Pennsylvania State University. A Ford F-150 converted to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle was interfaced with the grid via an electric vehicle photovoltaic (EVPV) installation. The EVPV used the vehicle battery to provide frequency regulation ancillary service to the grid overnight when the solar energy of a hypothetical solar array was less valuable than the ancillary service, and the vehicle battery and the solar inverter were otherwise underutilized. The objective is to create an incentive for electric vehicle and solar PV ownership by fully utilizing the vehicle battery and the PV inverter net metering connection to support the grid and earn revenue. The test plan simulated operation of a school bus, which appears to be a particularly suitable application of this technology. The results showed that the vehicle could provide frequency regulation service that meets the technical requirements for revenue generation.