Grid-connected photovoltaic-based microgrid as charging infrastructure for meeting electric vehicle load

Abstract

Concerns about charging Infrastructure have arisen as electric vehicles (EVs) gain popularity in the transportation sector. Like gas stations, the charging infrastructure is mainly used to power the EV batteries until they are fully charged. As a result, many alternative options for creating charging stations were explored in the literature. This study proposes a grid-connected photovoltaic-based microgrid for EV charging infrastructure. It has two objectives: to design and model a grid-connected photovoltaic-based microgrid and to analyze a hypothetical EV population charging. While modeling, the realistic EV loads are considered, and the simulation is carried out. Results of this study include the power generation potential from the solar power plant, the energy mix of the microgrid (i.e., grid shared energy and onsite solar generation), and supply and load mismatch relationships. The analysis results include the weather parameter influence on power produced, followed by sensitivity analysis quantifying the impact of scaled EV sessions over microgrid power balances. Overall, it is understood that grid-connected microgrids support the seamless charging of EVs even in the case of uncertainties observed with onsite solar energy generation.

Electrifying the Last-Mile Logistics (LML) in Intensive B2B Operations—An European Perspective on Integrating Innovative Platforms

“…In the literature, this hybrid configuration is called a grid-connected PV microgrid. One main challenge is balancing the supply vs. load mismatches during different times of the day [80][81][82][83].…”

A Sustainable Solution for Urban Transport Using Photovoltaic Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: A Case Study of the City of Hail in Saudi Arabia

“…The findings show that the renewable fraction is 0.87 and the LCOE is measured at USD 0.038 per kWh. A grid-connected PV-based microgrid for EV charging stations in Visakhapatnam City, India, was suggested by Chowdary and Rao [39]. The authors stated that the PV-powered charging stations and the scaled session determine the peak capacity required on the part of the solar power plant.…”

Related Work and Motivation for Electric Vehicle Solar/Wind Charging Stations: A Review

“…Chowdary and Rao [35] suggested a grid-connected PV-based microgrid for EV charging stations in Visakhapatnam City, India. The proposed model showed a high solar component with minimal reliance on imports and exports to the grid.…”

“…This showed that EV charging stations can operate without relying on the grid; however, it is recommended to have grid connectivity because of the variability of RESs. Chowdary and Rao [35] state that the PV plant supplies electricity to the computer system; the required peak capacity of the solar power plant changes based on the scaled session. The overall energy production varied between 946,235 and 1,734,764 kWh per year under varying conditions.…”