Vehicle‐for‐grid (VfG): a mobile energy storage in smart grid

Abstract

Vehicle-for-grid (VfG) is introduced as a mobile energy storage system (ESS) in this study and its applications are investigated. Herein, VfG is referred to a specific electric vehicle merely utilised by the system operator to provide vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and grid-to-vehicle (G2V) services. The advantages of VfGs over the ESSs and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) include mobility of the VfGs across the distribution system and their complete availability for the system operator, respectively. In this study, VfGs are utilised by the distribution company (DISCO) to minimise the daily operation cost of the distribution system by providing the V2G and G2V services in optimal buses of the feeders. In addition, VfGs are applied by the generation company (GENCO) to minimise the daily operation cost of the generation system by providing the V2G and G2V services at optimal time periods. It is demonstrated that optimal application of VfGs has a considerable potential for cost reduction for both DISCO and GENCO. In fact, the DISCO and GENCO are benefitted because of the minimisation of feeders’ power loss and deferring the expensive generation units, respectively. Additionally, it is proven that cooperation of GENCO and DISCOs in utilisation of the VfGs has more benefit for them.