Amber has expanded its vehicle-to-grid program to 1,000 Australian homes, backed by AUD $13.6 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
The program has grown from an initial 50-charger trial to what Amber describes as Australia's largest residential vehicle-to-grid rollout. Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen marked the announcement in New South Wales.
Vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, allows electric vehicles to send stored electricity back to homes or into the grid through bidirectional charging. The wider rollout follows early trial results and rising consumer interest, with nearly 6,000 Australians on Amber's waiting list.
The project also builds on BYD's decision to warrant vehicles taking part in the trial, addressing a key concern for customers and the industry around battery use and manufacturer support.
Early results
In the initial trial, households were able to use electric vehicles as flexible storage for home power and for exports to the grid during high-price periods. Amber cited one South Australian customer who earned $500 in a single afternoon during a heatwave.
Customers in the expanded program will face no minimum plug-in time and will keep the value generated by their vehicles, whether through home use, solar storage or sales back to the grid.
Amber pairs the chargers with software linked to wholesale electricity prices. The setup is intended to help customers respond to shifts in power prices through automated charging and export decisions.
"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," said Chris Thompson, co-chief executive officer of Amber.
"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," Thompson said.
Policy backdrop
The expansion comes as policymakers and industry groups look to electric vehicles as a source of distributed energy storage. As more EVs hit Australian roads, utilities and regulators have been examining how those batteries could support the grid during peak demand.
ARENA Chief Executive Officer Darren Miller said the new phase would test how different parts of the market can work together, including customers, car makers, network operators and technology providers.
"To unlock V2G at scale, we need to bring together customers, car makers, networks and technology providers. A big part of that is giving manufacturers confidence their vehicles will perform as expected, including through validated approaches to battery use and warranties," said Darren Miller, chief executive officer of ARENA.
"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 network costs for everyone," Miller said.
Bowen linked the program to broader efforts to integrate household energy resources into the electricity system. He said vehicle-to-grid could help people use solar energy stored in their cars and decide whether to direct it to household use, the grid or transport.
"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," said Chris Bowen, minister for climate change and energy.
"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," Bowen said.
Industry support
BYD Australia Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins said the company's vehicle warranty support reflects a broader view of electric vehicles as part of the energy system, not just transport products.
"BYD's foundations are built on innovation in renewable energy capture and storage, evolving in recent years into leadership in new energy vehicle manufacturing. BYD vehicles offer more than affordable electrified mobility solutions. They connect Australians to an energy ecosystem where the vehicle offers more than just transport," said Stephen Collins, chief operating officer of BYD Australia.
Electric Vehicle Council Chief Executive Officer Julie Delvecchio pointed to the scale of storage available in cars compared with household batteries and said wider participation could affect the broader power market.
"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," said Julie Delvecchio, chief executive officer of the Electric Vehicle Council.
Independent verification of the trial's modelling and outcomes will be led by enX, with the results intended for regulators, industry partners and policymakers.