Australia’s vehicle-to-grid rollout is set for a major expansion after the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) committed an additional $13.6 million to scale up a residential vehicle-to-grid (V2G) trial led by Amber Electric.
The new funding lifts ARENA’s total support for the project to $16.8 million and will significantly increase the number of households participating in both smart EV charging and bidirectional charging technology.
Under the expanded rollout, households with V2Gcapability will increase from 50 to 1,000, while smart charging participation will grow from 950 homes to 2,000.
The project is designed to allow electric vehicle (EV) owners to automatically charge when electricity prices and emissions are low, while also enabling participating vehicles to export stored energy back into the electricity grid.
Expanding V2G beyond early trials
The rollout builds on Amber’s earlier residential V2G pilot with BYD and comes as interest in V2G technology continues to grow across the nation.
According to Amber, almost 6,000 Australians have already joined the company’s V2G waitlist.
Amber Co-CEO Chris Thompson said the expansion represented a significant step forward for the technology locally.
“Our initial rollout proved it works. 1,000 homes proves it scales. We’ve already seen a South Australian customer earn $500 in a single afternoon during a heatwave, customers can now save thousands annually through V2G. This expansion positions Australia as a world leader in V2G, and we see a future where millions of Australians buying EVs in the next few years can do the same,” he said.
The expanded project will install V2G-capable chargers into participating homes, integrated with Amber’s software platform and wholesale electricity pricing system.
Customers will be able to use stored energy to power their homes, store rooftop solar generation or export electricity back to the grid during high-demand periods.
“Unlike other V2G plans that require minimum plug-in time and offer fixed price tariffs, Amber combines wholesale energy with smart automation so customers can earn the full value from their exports, power their homes through vehicle-to-home technology, and retain complete control. Real money back in people’s pockets and a grid that relies less on gas and coal,” Mr Thompson added.
ARENA targets barriers to V2G deployment
ARENA said the expanded program is intended to address several barriers currently slowing wider V2G deployment in Australia, including charging standards, interoperability and battery warranty concerns.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said collaboration between car manufacturers, networks and technology providers would be critical to scaling the technology.
“To unlock V2G at scale, we need to bring together customers, car makers, networks and technology providers,” Mr Miller explained.
“A big part of that is giving manufacturers the confidence their vehicles will perform as expected, including through validated approaches to battery use and warranties.”
“This project brings those pieces together to demonstrate how EVs can become an active part of the energy system. That means savings for owners and better utilisation of the grid, which can bring down the cost of the network for everyone.”
BYD will be the first manufacturer involved in the rollout, with the project also incorporating battery testing and standards development to support future manufacturer participation.
Government and industry support
At the launch of the expanded rollout in Lidcombe, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said vehicle-to-grid technology could play a broader role in household energy management.
“Vehicle-to-grid technology means your car does not just get you from A to B, it can help power your home and support the grid,” Mr Bowen said.
“Australians with rooftop solar will be able to use their car to store the energy they’ve generated and then use that cheap, clean energy when they need it most.”
“With vehicle to grid, they’ll then be able to use that power however they choose – whether that’s selling it back to the grid, powering their homes or driving one of the cheapest-to-run cars on the road.”
Meanwhile, BYD Australia COO Stephen Collins said vehicle electrification was increasingly becoming part of a broader energy ecosystem.
“BYD’s foundations are built on innovation in renewable energy capture and storage, evolving over recent years into leadership with new energy vehicle manufacturing. BYD vehicles offer more than affordable electrified mobility solutions, they connect Australians into an energy ecosystem where the vehicle offers more than just transport,” Collins said.
On the other hand, Electric Vehicle Council CEO Julie Delvecchio said broader V2G adoption could also provide wider grid benefits beyond participating households.
“One EV stores five and a half times more energy than a typical home battery. The best part? It’s not just the people plugged in who benefit – it’s the whole system. When thousands of EVs feed power back at peak times, it puts downward pressure on costs for everyone, whether you’re in the trial or not,” Ms Delvecchio said.
Independent verification of the project’s modelling and performance outcomes will be conducted by enX as the rollout expands.
Amber plans to launch a commercial V2G product in 2026 following the trial expansion.
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