Electric vehicles (EVs) are more than just a means of transportation: they’re mobile batteries that store large amounts of power on the road. Because EV batteries are often underutilized by drivers, some of the energy stored in these batteries can be pushed back into the electrical grid through a process known as vehicle-to-grid integration. Vehicle-to-grid integration involves creating EV batteries that are capable of bidirectional charging, meaning they can both receive electricity from and return electricity to the power grid. If electric vehicles were to be adopted on a large scale, they could help supply renewable energy to buildings and homes.

Policy in Purple States with Janet Napolitano

Climate change is upon us. Fires, droughts, hurricanes, sea level rise, and melting ice caps are all part of our new normal. But something else is happening as well. Scientists, innovators, organizations, cities, companies, and citizens are taking action, making progress, and finding solutions.

Climate Break brings you stories of climate progress, climate challenges, and interviews with climate innovators in California and around the world, 90 seconds at a time.

Climate Break is a production of Project Climate at U.C. Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy, & Environment in conjunction with the U.C. Berkeley Journalism School.