Optimal Distribution Grid Operation Using DLMP-Based Pricing for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in a Smart City

Bruno Canizes,Zita Vale,João Soares,Juan Corchado

doi:10.3390/en12040686

Abstract

The use of electric vehicles (EVs) is growing in popularity each year, and as a result, considerable demand increase is expected in the distribution network (DN). Additionally, the uncertainty of EV user behavior is high, making it urgent to understand its impact on the network. Thus, this paper proposes an EV user behavior simulator, which operates in conjunction with an innovative smart distribution locational marginal pricing based on operation/reconfiguration, for the purpose of understanding the impact of the dynamic energy pricing on both sides: the grid and the user. The main goal, besides the distribution system operator (DSO) expenditure minimization, is to understand how and to what extent dynamic pricing of energy for EV charging can positively affect the operation of the smart grid and the EV charging cost. A smart city with a 13-bus DN and a high penetration of distributed energy resources is used to demonstrate the application of the proposed models. The results demonstrate that dynamic energy pricing for EV charging is an efficient approach that increases monetary savings considerably for both the DSO and EV users.

Highlights

The efforts to minimize the carbon footprint using a large-scale integration of renewable energy sources (RES), such as wind and solar energy, have led to innovative developments in power distribution systems around the world
Many people move to cities in search of a better quality of life, and this contributes to the continuous expansion of urban areas, which play a major role in modern economies
The authors investigated if the dynamic electric vehicles (EVs) charging prices have a positive impact on the smart distribution network operation and on the EV user behavior

Summary

Introduction

The efforts to minimize the carbon footprint using a large-scale integration of renewable energy sources (RES), such as wind and solar energy, have led to innovative developments in power distribution systems around the world. A new agreement in the European Union (EU) aims to achieve 27% penetration of RES by 2030 [1], as one-third of EU countries have already achieved the 2020 target [2]. Many people move to cities in search of a better quality of life, and this contributes to the continuous expansion of urban areas, which play a major role in modern economies. It is necessary to make intelligent use of resources in urban environments, contributing to the development of smart cities [3]. The energy infrastructure of a smart city (SC), the so-called smart grid (SG), is one of the most important urban infrastructures that allows creating a sustainable

Methods

Results

Conclusion