UL said it certified a bidirectional electric vehicle charging system to a new North American safety standard, UL 9741, the Standard for Bidirectional Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging System Equipment.

The safety company said that the system from Fermata Energy is the first to be certified to the standard.

Bidirectional chargers an electric vehicle's battery to run the vehicle itself, and also provide energy back to the electrical grid. Used this way, EVs that are connected to a charger can help to stabilize the electric power grid.

Fermata Energy and Nissan agreed to test bidirectional charging technology at the automaker's North American headquarters and design center. Source: Fermata EnergyThe UL 9741 standard covers bidirectional electric vehicle charging equipment that charges electric vehicles from an electric power system and also includes functionality to export power from the electric vehicle to the grid.

According to the statement of scope, the UL 9741 requirements cover bidirectional electric vehicle charging equipment that charge electric vehicles from an electric power system and also include functionality to export power from the electric vehicle to an electric power system. When commanded to do so, the bidirectional charging equipment exports electric power from the electric vehicle stored energy supply to the electric power system to supply power to common loads.

(See more standards related to bidirectional charging stations at Engineering360.)

In January, Fermata said it received a $2.5 million investment from TEPCO Ventures, the investment arm of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.

And in late 2018, Fermata agreed to work with Nissan North America on a pilot program designed to cut Nissan’s power costs at its North American headquarters in Tennessee and its design center in San Diego. The company's battery chargers with and electric Nissan LEAF vehicles to send power from the batteries back to the building to reduce electricity costs.

UL quoted market research that estimates the EV charging infrastructure industry could grow at a compound annual rate of 46.8% from 2017 to 2025, reaching $45.59 billion in revenue by 2025.

UL said it currently offers certification for EV infrastructure components, including:

• ANSI/UL 2202 Electric Vehicle Charging System Equipment (AC to DC)
• ANSI/UL 25942 Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (AC to AC)
• UL 2750 Wireless Charging Equipment for Electric Vehicles
• UL 9741 Standard for Bidirectional Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging System Equipment
• ANSI/UL 2231-12 Personal Protection Systems for Electric Vehicle Supply Circuits – General ANSI/Requirements (referred to in UL 2202/UL 2594)
• ANSI/UL 2231-22 Personal Protection Systems for Electric Vehicle Supply Circuits – Protective Devices for Use in Charging Systems (referred to in UL 2202/UL 2594)
• ANSI/UL 22512 Electric Vehicle Plugs, Receptacles and Couplers