Negative Electric Vehicle Emissions: Vehicle-to-Grid Can Incentivize Enough Wind and Solar Investment to Reverse EV Charging Emissions
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Consequential emission analyses of power system interventions typically overlook induced structural changes. We estimate the consequential power system emission effects of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging due to both operational effects and induced renewable capacity investments. We study PJM, the largest U.S. grid operator, with a grid mix representative of North America, assuming 10% fleet electrification. We find that charging immediately after each day's final trip increases grid emission externalities and provides little incentive to increase renewable infrastructure investment. In contrast, flexible cost-minimizing charging creates economic incentives to increase wind and solar capacity investment by 4% for unidirectional charging or by 23% for bidirectional vehicle-to-grid (V2G). This induced investment reverses emission consequences of PEV charging: estimates ignoring capacity changes find PEVs increase grid emission externalities by $240-$610 per PEV-year, whereas estimates accounting for induced renewable investments find that adding PEV load can reduce total grid emission externalities by $230 per PEV-year with flexible charging and by $2200 per PEV-year with V2G. Overall, results suggest that leveraging flexibility in charge timing and V2G to reduce power system costs can also produce substantial emission cobenefits.
Institutions: University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon University
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
OpenAlex ID: W4414573318