Smart Energy Council Premium Member Amber Electric is expanding its vehicle-to-grid (V2G) program to 1,000 Australian homes, supported by an additional $13.6 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

The expansion will build on Amber’s initial 50-charger trial and represents a significant increase in the scale of residential V2G deployment in Australia.

The announcement was made at the Lidcombe home of Amber customer Ken Chung, with Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen, Member for Reid Sally Sitou, ARENA CEO Darren Miller and Amber Head of V2G Clare Rainbow.

With almost 6,000 Australians on Amber’s V2G waitlist at the time of the announcement and a commercial product planned for 2026, the expanded program will provide further evidence of how V2G could operate at greater scale in Australian homes and within the electricity system.

From 50 chargers to 1,000 homes

Amber’s initial 50-charger program tested not only the technology, but also the software, economics and customer experience associated with residential V2G.

The trial demonstrated how EV batteries can be used to store rooftop solar or lower-cost grid electricity before supplying energy back to the home through vehicle-to-home (V2H) technology or exporting it to the electricity grid.

According to Amber, one Victorian household eliminated the energy costs associated with its EV and generated an additional $1,200 in savings over a 12-month period. In South Australia, another customer earned $500 in a single afternoon by exporting electricity during a period of high wholesale prices amid a summer heatwave.

The expanded program will increase the number of participating homes twentyfold.

Testing V2G at greater scale

Under the expanded trial, V2G-capable chargers will be installed in participating customers’ homes and integrated with Amber’s smart energy software.

The technology will enable participating households to charge their vehicles when electricity prices are lower or when excess rooftop solar is available, use energy stored in their EV to power their home, and export electricity to the grid when wholesale prices rise.

BYD’s warranty commitment from the initial rollout will also carry forward into the expanded trial.

Amber Co-CEO Chris Thompson said the expansion would help demonstrate the potential for V2G beyond smaller-scale trials.

“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, and we see a future where millions of Australians buying EVs in the next few years can do the same.”

Building the evidence for V2G

Independent verification of the trial’s outcomes will be led by enX, providing evidence that can help inform the development of regulatory, policy and industry frameworks for V2G technology in Australia.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said bringing together different parts of the energy and transport sectors would be important to enabling V2G at scale.

“To unlock V2G at scale, we need to bring together customers, car makers, networks and technology providers. 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.”

The project will provide further insight into how EVs can operate as distributed energy resources, including their potential to support households while providing additional flexibility to Australia’s electricity system.

For the smart energy sector, the expansion also represents an opportunity to better understand the technical, regulatory and consumer settings required as V2G moves towards wider commercial deployment.

How to get involved

Australians interested in participating in Amber’s V2G program can join the company’s V2G waitlist.

The waitlist is open to people who already own a V2G-capable electric vehicle, as well as those considering one in the future. Amber expects additional vehicle manufacturers to join the trial as the program expands.

Join Amber’s V2G waitlist to learn more and stay informed about opportunities to participate in the rollout.

Amber Electric is a Premium Member of the Smart Energy Council.

Media Contact

Madieson Ryan I madi.ryan@amber.com.au 

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