Electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint operator, Pod Point has announced its intention to expand into the battery energy storage system (BESS) market.
As it looks to achieve this, Pod Point signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese battery manufacturer, Gotion High-Tech, the EV battery start-up InoBat, and battery technology company Brill Power.
The MoU aims to support the development of a “competitive quality” home battery solution as the four companies sharing expertise in battery storage technology, EV battery research and development and battery optimisation.
According to Pod Point, the company views EV charging as a “strategic and natural” entry point for enhancing BESS solutions as charging can often makes up the most substantial and flexible electricity load when present in homes.
EVs can work as ‘batteries on wheels’ by using stored energy withing an unused battery to power people’s home (in what is called vehicle-to-home) or even selling energy back to the grid (vehicle-to-grid).
These vehicle-to-everything (V2X) offerings are being increasingly explored within the automotive industry, some of the latest examples being Blink Charging and OVO with energy software business Kaluza and Volvo, who are each developing bi-directional EV charging.
“The MoU represents a step forward in the evolution of our business and the services we provide to domestic customers,” said Andy Palmer, CEO of Pod Point.
“It supports our commitment to providing comprehensive home charging solutions and will help advance the take up of home energy solutions. Home batteries will provide our customers with a cost-efficient energy solution while contributing to a more sustainable energy future.”
Pod Point has also joined the race for ever-more competitive charging tariffs as, in partnership with EDF, the operator offered an overnight electric vehicle (EV) charging tariff of just 7.4p/kWh which it says is “the UK’s cheapest EV energy tariff.”
Soon after OVO Energy announced it has cut its Charge Anytime rates by 30% to 7p/kWh.
This article was originally published on our sister site Solar Power Portal.
