Electric cars are in demand as energy storage devices

On Wednesday, about 100 citizens attended an information session on bidirectional charging at the RIZ Energie at Hochschule Offenburg.

21.05.2026 · Press release · Editorial Office: jd

A man is standing in a technical college in front of a large audience—some seated and others standing on a gallery—and giving a lecture
iFEMA Project Manager Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Bessler was pleased with the high level of interest in the informational session.

With their presentation on “Bidirectional Charging of Electric Cars: A Game Changer for the Energy Transition,” the researchers from the Institute for Sustainable Energy Systems (INES) at Hochschule Offenburg really struck a chord. In the end, even the extra chairs that were hurriedly brought in weren’t enough for everyone. As a result, many interested attendees followed the various presentations on charging types, charging behavior, the benefits of bidirectional charging, the technical and legal requirements, and the effects on the battery—some standing in the gallery and the laboratory areas at RIZ Energie.

For three years, INES staff and students had been investigating bidirectional charging as part of the iFEMA (Integrated Energy Research for Electric Mobility) project, which—just like the information evening—was funded by the Carl Zeiss Foundation. They now presented their findings together with representatives from the industry. Project leader Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Bessler began by explaining to the audience that the batteries installed in electric cars already have a storage capacity of 133 gigawatt-hours—far more than any other storage system. Michael Quarti then discussed the various charging methods and the current charging behavior of electric vehicle users. Erik Füssgen, managing director of Stadtwerke Oberkirch GmbH, explained the benefits that bidirectional charging can offer not only for grid stability but also for consumers’ wallets. Despite some challenges—such as those posed by tax laws—Füssgen expressed his conviction that what is needed is simply the courage to take action. Jens Lottermoser then explained the technical requirements for bidirectional charging. For example, when integrating the system into a home setup to optimize personal electricity consumption, “only” the vehicle, wallbox, and control model need to be compatible; however, when integrating into the power grid, the electricity rate and many other factors also play a role. Sven Bohnert, division manager at Elektro Birk in Oberkirch, presented the technical systems currently available for bidirectional charging. And last but not least, David Schmider explained to the audience that, under certain conditions, bidirectional charging can even offer advantages regarding battery degradation—a concern feared by many electric car drivers.

After INES Director Prof. Dr. Michael Schmidt summarized all the information once more, the experts answered numerous questions from the audience about battery recycling, new types of batteries, fast-charging capabilities, and much more. Afterward, during a lab tour accompanied by snacks and cold drinks, there was plenty of time to continue discussing the topics with the experts or to test one’s own driving style on an electric car driving simulator. Anyone who missed the information evening or would like to review the presentations at their leisure can find them on the iFEMA website.