Electric Vehicle Charging at Telco Base Station and Bidirectional Charging at Hillslope Descent Technical-Commercial Cost-Benefit Study and Scheduling-Reservation System

Abstract

Installing grid-connected photovoltaics (GCPV) at telecommunication company (Telco) base stations along highways, and providing electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities at strategic locations such as highway-side base stations offers a synergistic solution to both 1) displacing engine emissions using electricity from a renewable energy source, and 2) providing more highway EV charging stations for long distance EV driving. Strategically placed hillslope EV discharge stations would also offer EV users travelling downhill for long distances to sell their EV battery energy obtained from regenerative braking to the grid, freeing up the needed battery capacity to continue downhill with regenerative braking rather than losing it due to an already fully charged battery. This paper explores potential cost-benefits for investments in (i) highway-side Telco base stations with GCPV systems and EV charging stations as an additional source of revenue, and (ii) investments in EV discharge stations along hillslopes for EV users to sell battery energy from regenerative braking. The methodology used to gauge annual demand of new EV charge stations was by observation of existing highway-side EV charge station usage rates, estimating growth of EVs and charge stations, and reference to existing literature on EV charging tariffs, local electricity costs, and sizing/costing electrical equipment needed for the base station upgrade. To verify discharge kWh calculations from downhill descent regenerative braking, a downhill test drive of a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) was done. To discourage non-charging EVs remaining parked at charger units, a design framework involving remote charger unit monitoring, reservation, messaging and automated financial incentives is also presented.