- Posted on 10 Dec 2025
- 3-minute read
Australia is taking an important step toward decarbonising transport and energy systems in a national collaboration designed to accelerate electric vehicle-to-grid integration.
Today marked the launch of the Vehicle-Grid Network (VGN), alongside a suite of initiatives aimed at supporting Australia’s transition to a low-emissions economy.
The project is funded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the RACE for 2030 CRC and industry partners from across the electric vehicle (EV) and energy value chain. VGN will be led by Climate-KIC Australia and the University of Technology Sydney’s (UTS) Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF).
VGN is launching at a time when EVs’ role in Australia’s decarbonisation is becoming better understood. Along with rising sales, knowledge of EVs’ potential to be a flexible source of energy storage is gaining traction.
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) bidirectional charging allows users to not only charge their EV, but to send power back to a home or the grid, which can save consumers money and help stabilise the energy grid. But these benefits are hard to access for most Australian people and businesses.
Smooth transitions don’t happen in silos, they happen when the right people and organisations come together.
VGN will address current technical, regulatory and market challenges to widespread V2G uptake. It will accelerate action to enable large-scale adoption of V2G by:
- establishing a nationally coordinated industry collaboration network to align industry, government and researchers on shared priorities for V2G integration
- strengthening technical and market foundations by enabling interoperability, supporting evolving domestic and international standards, and unlocking shared commercial and regulatory barriers
- building sector and consumer capability through trusted information, educational resources, events, and practical tools
- positioning Australia for international leadership in V2G to deliver a cleaner, more resilient and affordable transport and energy systems.
“The Vehicle-Grid Network builds on RACE for 2030's partnership with ARENA in producing the National Roadmap for Bidirectional EV Charging,” said Oliver Hill, Program Leader – RACE for Electric Vehicles.
“This network will serve as a national point of synthesis for research and knowledge, showcasing the depth of expertise and leadership actively contributing to innovative distributed energy resource management in Australia.”
Climate-KIC Australia CEO and UTS ISF Industry Professor Chris Lee said, “Smooth transitions don’t happen in silos, they happen when the right people and organisations come together.”
“Through the Vehicle-Grid Network, we’re creating the space for industry, government and researchers to share what’s working, make sense of emerging technologies together, and identify opportunities to accelerate bidirectional charging at scale and make EVs a win for people, businesses, and the grid.”
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