OPTIMAL PLACEMENT AND SIZING OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE USING DC POWER FLOW MODEL

Abstract

With the burgeoning interest in electric vehicles (EVs) due to their sustainable attributes, concerns arise regarding the electrical grid’s capacity to handle the consequent rise in electricity demand from charging stations. Ontario’s aspiration to ensure that 5% of all vehicle sales are electric by 2020, driven by the province’s Climate Change Action Plan, accentuates these concerns, particularly with the potential rise in fossil fuel power generation. This study delves into the optimization of generator outputs and the strategic placement and sizing of EV charging stations in Ontario. The goal is to curtail overall generation costs, adhering to the demand, generation, and transmission constraints. Through the utilization of a representative system, modeled after the IEEE 34-node test feeder due to data unavailability, the research explores Ontario’s power dynamics over a 24-hour period in 2020. The findings provide insights into ideal locations and dimensions for charging stations, while also quantifying the environmental ramifications of the increased electrical grid load. This paper offers a comprehensive strategy to mitigate grid stress while bolstering EV infrastructure efficiently.