Vehicle 2 Grid - In practice

The project aims to carry out a practical demonstration in which electric vehicle batteries are used as an energy source to power a safety hub at a selected site on Gotland. Electric vehicles already account for a growing share of Sweden’s vehicle fleet (8.6% at the turn of 2025/2026), and in the years ahead electrification is expected to become the dominant propulsion solution, driven by legislation, technological progress, and the broader benefits of electrification. As the vehicle fleet becomes increasingly electric, substantial amounts of energy will be available in a distributed form, often close to where people live and work, through the batteries of these vehicles.

The energy stored in EV batteries can also be used to provide various forms of grid support, as well as islanded operation. Bidirectional charging — through V2G and V2L technologies — is the key interface that enables this integration of the energy and transport systems. In simple terms, electric vehicles can become mobile energy resources: large power banks or portable power stations that can be deployed where they are most needed. In the event of a crisis, or in the worst case war, this energy resource could make an important contribution to local energy resilience.

Gotland provides a highly relevant setting for testing this new and as yet undemonstrated approach to powering a safety hub, not least because of its geopolitically exposed location. No similar demonstrations have been carried out before. The project will also create a platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and interaction among researchers, companies, public sector actors, community-supporting organisations such as the Church of Sweden and local community centres, as well as civil society