Salford brings UK and Europe together to accelerate the future of energy sustainability

V2X allows electric vehicles to act as mobile energy assets – storing electricity and sharing it with homes, buildings and the wider grid. 

This includes Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), where vehicles can return electricity to the grid during peak demand, and smart charging, which optimises when vehicles charge to reduce costs and support renewable energy use. 

Together, these technologies can help balance energy demand, lower costs and improve resilience. Research from the University of Salford also highlights their potential to reduce wasted renewable energy by storing surplus wind and solar power and releasing it when demand is higher. 

Professor Vahid Vahidinasab, Chair in Sustainability at Salford Business School and Chair of the Symposium, said: “What excites me most about V2X is not just the technology itself, but what it enables. We are talking about systems that can reduce energy costs for households, improve resilience and even provide access to clean and affordable electricity in underserved communities with limited or no access.” 

Discussions at the symposium highlighted that V2X and smart charging are entering a critical phase of scale-up. 

While pilot projects across the UK and Europe have demonstrated the potential, significant challenges remain around regulation, interoperability, business models and consumer adoption. 

Dr Josey Wardle, Innovation Lead for Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Infrastructure at Innovate UK, said: “We’re at a point where V2X is moving from pilots to scale-up. To make that happen, we need the right policies, the right incentives and greater consumer understanding so people feel confident adopting the technology in their everyday lives.” 

A consistent message throughout the event was that no single organisation, or even country, can deliver this transition alone. 

Scaling V2X requires coordination between vehicle manufacturers, energy companies, technology provides, policymakers and communities, alongside stronger alignment between the UK and Europe. 

By bringing these groups together, the University of Salford is helping to share learning, identify barriers and accelerate the development of practical, scalable solutions. 

Professor Francine Morris, Associate Dean Knowledge Exchange, added: “This symposium shows the value of bringing together expertise from research, industry and policy to address shared challenges and accelerate real-world impact. 

“Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the value of bringing together diverse stakeholders across sectors and countries to connect research with real-world deployment.” 

A consistent message throughout the event was that no single organisation, or even country, can deliver this transition alone. 

Scaling V2X requires coordination between vehicle manufacturers, energy companies, technology provides, policymakers and communities, alongside stronger alignment between the UK and Europe. 

By bringing these groups together, the University of Salford is helping to share learning, identify barriers and accelerate the development of practical, scalable solutions. 

Professor Francine Morris, Associate Dean Knowledge Exchange, added: “This symposium shows the value of bringing together expertise from research, industry and policy to address shared challenges and accelerate real-world impact. 

“Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the value of bringing together diverse stakeholders across sectors and countries to connect research with real-world deployment.”