Australian renewable energy retailer Amber is expanding its vehicle-to-grid (V2G) program to 1,000 homes, marking the country’s largest residential deployment of the technology to date.
The expansion follows an initial 50-home pilot launched in October and represents a significant step in Amber’s efforts to integrate electric vehicles into Australia’s electricity network as distributed energy resources.
Largest Residential V2G Rollout in Australia
Amber said demand for the program remains strong, with as many as 6,000 people currently on the company’s V2G waitlist.
The project has received additional support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), which has provided a further AUD$13.6 million in funding. The latest contribution brings ARENA’s total support for the initiative to AUD$16.8 million.
The expanded program is intended to demonstrate the commercial and technical viability of vehicle-to-grid systems at a much larger scale.
Pilot Program Demonstrated Financial Benefits
Amber said the original 50-home trial was designed to evaluate how V2G technology performs under real-world operating conditions.
The company highlighted several outcomes from the pilot, including a Victorian household that reportedly eliminated the energy costs associated with charging its electric vehicle while generating an additional AUD$1,200 in savings over a 12-month period.
In another example, a South Australian participant earned approximately AUD$500 during a single afternoon heatwave by exporting electricity from their vehicle battery to the grid when wholesale power prices surged.
Chris Thompson, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Amber, said the results demonstrated the potential of the technology.
“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, and we see a future where millions of Australians buying EVs in the next few years can do the same,” Thompson said.
Direct Access to Wholesale Electricity Prices
The expanded rollout will include the installation of V2G-compatible charging systems in participating households.
Amber said software integrations will enable customers to buy and sell electricity based on wholesale market prices rather than fixed retail tariffs.
The company views direct access to wholesale pricing as a key differentiator from conventional electricity plans, allowing customers to benefit from periods of elevated electricity demand and pricing.
According to Amber, the system enables vehicle owners to export stored energy from their EV batteries back to the grid when prices rise, creating an additional revenue stream while supporting grid stability.
Program to Support Future Policy Development
The expanded trial will undergo independent verification by energy consultancy enX, with findings expected to contribute to the development of future vehicle-to-grid policy and regulatory frameworks in Australia.
As electric vehicle adoption continues to grow, V2G technology is increasingly being viewed as a tool to help balance electricity supply and demand by turning EV batteries into distributed energy storage assets.
The project positions Australia among the leading markets exploring large-scale residential vehicle-to-grid integration as part of broader efforts to modernize the electricity system and support renewable energy adoption.