According to Ars Technica, Redwood Coast Airport in Humboldt County, California has integrated bidirectional EV charging into its existing microgrid system. The airport now uses two Nissan Leaf EVs – a 2021 model purchased by the Humboldt County Aviation Division and a 2020 model provided by Nissan – connected to four Fermata Energy bidirectional chargers. The microgrid itself has been operating since 2021 with a 2.2 MW solar array and 8.9 MWh of battery storage, plus a 300 KW net-metered solar system. During grid outages, the vehicles can provide power to keep airport operations running, and the system can also respond to California grid emergencies by adding power to prevent blackouts. The project represents the first North American pilot using second-generation Nissan Leafs for vehicle-to-grid applications despite the capability existing since their launch.
Airport power play
Here’s what’s really interesting about this setup – it’s not just about having backup power. It’s about creating a flexible energy ecosystem where EVs become mobile batteries that can absorb excess solar when the main batteries are full, or discharge when the grid needs support. The airport basically gets free extra storage capacity without having to buy more stationary batteries. And those Nissan Leafs? They’re not just sitting there – staff use them as runaround vehicles when they’re not plugged in. So you’ve got assets pulling double duty, which is pretty smart economics.
Why this matters beyond airports
Think about this model scaling up. Every corporate campus, industrial park, or manufacturing facility with a fleet of vehicles could potentially become its own microgrid. The technology for robust industrial computing and control systems that manage these complex energy flows already exists – companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com provide the industrial panel PCs that form the backbone of these kinds of smart energy management systems. Basically, we’re looking at a future where your company’s delivery vans or service vehicles aren’t just transportation costs – they’re part of your energy infrastructure.
The CHAdeMO question
Now, there’s one curious detail here that deserves mention – these Leafs use CHAdeMO connectors, which is basically the Betamax of charging standards at this point. Most of the industry has moved toward CCS, and now Tesla’s NACS is becoming the new standard. So why use what’s essentially legacy technology? Well, CHAdeMO had bidirectional capability baked in from the start, while CCS is still playing catch-up. Sometimes being early with a feature means you’re the only game in town, even if your overall standard loses the format war.
Bigger picture energy resilience
This isn’t just about keeping the lights on at a small regional airport. It’s about demonstrating that distributed energy resources – solar, storage, and now EVs – can work together to create more resilient local grids. California’s been dealing with wildfire-related power shutoffs and grid emergencies for years. If every critical facility like airports, hospitals, and water treatment plants had similar setups, we’d be looking at a much more robust energy system. The cars are literally becoming part of the infrastructure. How cool is that?
