EV-to-Home Power Grid Pilot Program Launches in Maryland

Sunrun, a solar company, and Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), the largest utility provider in Maryland, have launched a pilot program for a bidirectional power plant fueled by solar energy and EV technology.

The pilot, which involves three households, allows users to draw energy from a Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck when paired with the Ford Charge Station Pro and Home Integration System sold by Sunrun. This setup lets the household utilize energy from the EV during peak energy demand, Smart Energy International reported.

The pilot program is the first vehicle-to-home power plant in the U.S. and was funded with grants from the U.S. Department of Energy.

“This program is a significant proof of concept — no other market player has done this — and the goal is to expand these programs all around the country,” Sunrun CEO Mary Powell said in a press release. “This exciting partnership lays the foundation for the power grid of the future where electric vehicle owners can contribute to grid resiliency and utility price stability for everyone. The summer heat can be especially stressful on our power grid, which is why proving the use of stored energy in electric vehicles for capacity is so important.”

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The process works by sending energy from the EV batteries to the homes, allowing the vehicle batteries to operate as energy storage. This can complement solar energy sources as well as reduce demand on Maryland’s power grids during peak times. The bidirectional power provided through the charging station can power homes for up to 10 days in the event of an outage, Sunrun said.

For the pilot program, the trucks share energy from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays from June 1 to September 30. The pilot is offering an estimated $800 to participants.

Currently, there are only a limited number of EV models that offer the bidirectional charging feature, including the Nissan Leaf, the 2024 Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 models from Hyundai, Kia’s EV6, EV9 and Niro EV, and the Ford F-150 Lightning, Cars.com reported.

More vehicles are expected to introduce bidirectional charging in the coming years, including all GM and Tesla EV models, CNET reported.

Sunrun and BGE are planning to expand the program after monitoring the pilot and will offer incentives for F-150 Lightning owners to join, helping increase grid resilience. The program could also help contribute toward Maryland’s goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2045 and achieve 100% clean electricity by 2035.

“Virtual power plants with bidirectional electric vehicles will play a key role in the clean energy transition,” Chris Rauscher, head of grid services for Sunrun, said in a press release.