Aussie car owners offered lucrative side hustle
Aussies now have the potential to make big money with their cars following a significant move by one of the country’s biggest retailers.
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Australian EV owners will now be able to power their homes using their cars and sell energy back into the grid following a groundbreaking initiative.
The move marks a major step forward for renewable energy, allowing EV owners with the right car and hardware to power their homes during a blackout, absorb excess solar energy to pump back into the house during periods of peak demand, and sell energy back to power providers.
Customers with Ausgrid — the largest distributor in New South Wales, covering more than 1.7 million homes across Sydney, The Central Coast, and the Hunter Valley — can now apply to have vehicle-to-grid (V2G) electric car hardware installed.
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The two-way flow of energy transforms EVs into mobile batteries, capable of supporting the network during peak times and providing a new level of energy independence for customers.
Group Executive of Distributed Services, Rob Amphlett Lewis, said tapping into V2G is an exciting milestone that unlocks new opportunities for customers and the grid.
“We’ve done the foundational work to understand how to integrate this V2G technology safely and effectively, and our customers can now begin to benefit,” he said.
“Customers can use their EV batteries to sell excess energy back to the grid during peak times and recharge at off-peak rates, creating an additional source of income.”
Ausgrid joins SA Power Networks in South Australia and Essential Energy in NSW in offering support for V2G.
Bi-directional charging has been technically possible for years; however, there are only available in cars like the Nissan Leaf EV and Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid.
However, more car models are expected to unlock this capability with the correct wallbox and software.
While Ausgrid, SA Power Networks, and Essential Energy now support V2G, there are still several other distributors in Australia that have yet to offer the technology.
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In November 2024, Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, announced new standards for V2G and vehicle-to-home (V2H) at the Sydney International EV AutoShow.
At the time, he said this technology would be made available by the end of that calendar year.
The sluggish rollout is dependent on approvals for cables, permission from carmakers and agreements with individual companies.
Regulatory red tape had previously prevented owners from taking advantage of the tech.
However, Standards Australia has now approved regulations for vehicle-to-grid charging, allowing electric vehicle owners to power their homes and feed energy back into the grid.
Fatima Bazzi, Head of Customer Connections, further highlighted the significance of this development, saying, “V2G allows EVs to discharge energy back to the grid during periods of high demand, alleviating stress on the network and improving overall grid performance.”
“This means we can better manage network stress, improve overall grid performance, and potentially defer costly infrastructure upgrades, ultimately benefiting all our customers.”
Originally published as Aussie car owners offered lucrative side hustle
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