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Sunrun Launches Nation’s First Vehicle-To-Home Grid Support In Maryland Using Ford F-150 Lightning Trucks
The innovative program demonstrates how bidirectional electric vehicle charging can alleviate demand on the electrical grid and unlock additional value for
About this update from Sunrun Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"The innovative program demonstrates how bidirectional electric vehicle charging can alleviate demand on the electrical grid and unlock additional value for participants\nSAN FRANCISCO, July 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), the nation’s leading provider of clean energy as a subscription service, is now operating the nation’s first vehicle-to-home power plant using a small group of customer-owned bidirectional electric vehicles. In partnership with Maryland’s largest utility, Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (Nasdaq: EXC), the regulator-approved initiative utilizes all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning trucks to deliver power to owners’ homes this summer during peak demand times to support Maryland’s power grid. The program includes three Sunrun customers in BGE’s service territory who own an F-150 Lightning paired with Ford Charge Station Pro and Home Integration System, which is sold exclusively through Sunrun. This program is the first operational bidirectional electric vehicle power plant in the United States that uses a cohort of customer vehicles. “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,” said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell. “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.” BGE was awarded grant funding from the Department of Energy to create an electric vehicle virtual power plant. BGE partnered with Sunrun to develop and administer the program, which is designed to assist BGE’s system during times of peak energy consumption. By discharging F-150 Lightnings’ onboard batteries directly to participants’ homes, the program showcases how electric vehicles can function like stationary batteries to reduce demand on the grid and create a more resilient and reliable energy system for all BGE customers in Maryland. Sunrun is networking and monitoring the enrolled F-150 Lightning trucks as they share stored energy during dispatch windows from June 1 to September 30, 2024, between the ho...