Following the successful trial, waste collection fleet operator Veolia plans to expand the pilot using Westminster Council’s refuse collection vehicles (RCVs).

V2G technology enables the energy stored in batteries to be fed back to the electrical grid.

Veolia said electric collection vehicles are ideally suited to the technology because their batteries are six times larger than those in an average car.

And, since RCVs are usually parked at energy consumption times, the technology could see fleets contribute to grid stability as they power homes.

Veolia’s plans to electrify all 1,800 of its RCVs in the UK by 2040 could enable it to provide the grid with around 200MW of flexible power capacity daily, an equivalent of the evening peak energy demand of more than 150,000 homes, the fleet operator said.

Veolia CEO Estelle Brachlianoff said: ‘By enabling electric vehicles to become active players in the power grid, we are harnessing their potential to balance energy supply and demand, reduce carbon emissions and promote renewable energy.’

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