Panel experts discuss the advances in strengthening the grid with EVs, but the next steps are collaboration and information

If anything was learned at the 2026 kWh Summit yesterday in Toronto, it’s that the technology to implement vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems to bolster the electrical grid in Canada is already here.

The next step is bringing people together to make it happen.

The kWh Summit, an annual conference organized by Electric Autonomy, brought experts from around Canada and beyond to speak on the advances of V2G technology, focusing on demand-side strategies. The one-day event featured panel discussions on technological advancements and accomplishments, pilot projects and even human behaviour.

Collaboration is key

The topics were wide-ranging, but all came to the same conclusion that organization and collaboration are necessary to get V2G from a hypothetical to reality.

For example, in “Intelligent load forecasting with flexibility,” Mabel Fulford, managing consultant for Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, talked about a Canadian vehicle grid alliance bringing together utilities, planners, governments, OEMs and other stakeholders to form a plan to move V2G forward.

In the panel discussion titled “Canada’s first vehicle-to-grid project: BC Hydro and Lynch Bus Lines,” Steve Cao, senior program manager of capacity products for BC Hydro, echoed the idea of an alliance, this time for a playbook for utilities across the country to unify rules to make it simpler for fleets and governments alike to implement V2G.

“This way, it would remove a lot of uncertainty for customers, for the industry,” he said. “And if we can all apply that, then all the interconnections and all of those technical details would be a lot simpler. … Then the entire Canadian market can be seen as one, rather than provincial markets.”

Getting fleet, public EV owners onside

There was also talk on how to get fleet owners and the public on side.

In the panel “Carrots and Grids: Aligning incentives with customer value in demand response programs,” Chris Galbraith, senior product manager for BluWave-ai, says getting drivers to opt into V2G programs means there must be a simplified experience going beyond incentives. 

“I think in terms of value, especially in that context, it’s really important to think of the driver getting not just a dollar amount every month or every year, but they’re also getting a really well optimized and convenient experience. So, we’ve invested a lot of energy into making sure it’s as turnkey as possible for drivers to help the grid and get incentives in return for that.”

Batteries aren’t the problem

On a more technical note, Jeff Dahn, NSERC and Tesla Industrial Research Chair at Dalhousie University, pointed out data that showed EV batteries showed little extra degradation with V2G use over regular driving and that they would easily outlast the life of the vehicle even with regular cycles of V2G charge and discharge.

It’s information that should put an EV owner’s mind at ease when it comes to opting into V2G programs.

‘Technology moves so fast’

Nick Martin, vice-president of analytics and insights for The Transition Accelerator, told Electric Autonomy that forums like the kWh Summit are critical in forwarding ideas like V2G.

“Technology moves so fast, and [when] you come to these gatherings you realize that,” he said.

“Generally, the technology is there. Now, it’s up to implementing that technology — gathering the people to get it done.”

A personal perspective

The last word on the subject came from Erika Myers, executive director of North America for CharIN (Charging Interface Initiative), the global non-profit association that promotes standards for electric vehicle (EV) charging.

In her closing keynote speech, Myers eschewed talking technology for a more personal perspective, one that is rarely talked about in technological circles.

Citing power outages, cost savings for both utilities and private EV owners, and the benefits of electrification in general, Myers wants the industry to start getting the word out to the public with a message: bolstering the grid with EVs will benefit everyone.

Getting the word out

After all, if the public isn’t onboard with this new technology, the whole idea becomes a non-starter.

 “We are talking about a technical story, a utility story, a policy story, but we’re not talking about a savings story, safety story or a reliability story, which is what really matters at the end of the day,” she said.

“Here’s the story we need to tell instead: your car can save you money, keep your family safe, power your home during outages, improve the reliability of the grid, support your community and help the planet. And every EV battery is an opportunity to do better, to do more, to help with all these issues that we have in the world.”