MUNICH & PFORZHEIM, GERMANY -- Electric cars equipped with bidirectional charging technology can store electricity and feed it back into the grid when needed. A new study by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows that this could save billions by optimizing the use of generation capacity, reducing curtailment, and lowering fuel consumption. Bidirectional charging (BiDi) could thus achieve a technological and economic breakthrough in Europe but it requires clear regulatory framework conditions. Without these, the potential will remain untapped. In response to these developments, Europe’s largest alliance of energy industry exhibitions, The smarter E Europe, is dedicating a special exhibit to highlight the opportunities and challenges for the mobility and energy industries. The event will take place from May 7-9, 2025, at Messe München.

The Fraunhofer Institutes estimate that the savings potential from bidirectional charging in the EU could amount to up to €22 billion annually, equivalent to around 8% of the costs of constructing and operating the EU energy system. Between 2030 and 2040, savings could exceed €100 billion. In Germany alone, annual savings of €8.4 billion are projected until 2040.

Integration of Solar Power

Thanks to their storage capacity, electric vehicles could enable greater integration of renewable energy, particularly solar power, into the energy system. The T&E study indicates that the need for expensive stationary storage devices in the EU could be reduced by up to 92%, while installed photovoltaic capacity could increase by up to 40%. Owners of electric vehicles would benefit from lower electricity costs and a longer lifespan for their batteries, as smart charging processes optimize the state of charge and reduce wear.

Pilot Projects and V2G Services

Bidirectional charging has so far been tested in a few pilot projects. In France, Renault, in partnership with The Mobility House, has launched the first vehicle-to-grid (V2G) service. Owners of V2G-enabled Renault 5 cars can charge their vehicles free of charge and make their batteries available to the energy system. This model is expected to be rolled out in Germany and the United Kingdom this year.

Regulatory Challenges

In Germany, the roll-out of smart meters, a prerequisite for V2G, remains sluggish, and the necessary legal frameworks are still lacking. The second European Summit for Bidirectional Charging called for measures such as eliminating double payment of stored electricity through surcharges and grid charges and ensuring that green electricity stored in car batteries remains eligible for subsidies under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG).

Special Exhibit at The smarter E Europe 2025

The special exhibit at The smarter E Europe 2025 will showcase current products, applications, and future perspectives for bidirectional charging. Located next to the Power2Drive Forum, it will feature interactive sessions, exhibition tours, and panel discussions. Key partners for the special exhibit include Eurelectric, AVERE, and SmartEn.

The smarter E Europe 2025

As Europe’s largest alliance of exhibitions for the energy industry, The smarter E Europe unites four exhibitions (Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe and EM-Power Europe) and will take place at Messe München from May 7-9, 2025.