Enabling mass integration of electric vehicles through distributed energy resource management systems

Global initiatives are actively progressing to integrate large numbers of electric vehicles (EVs) as part of efforts to electrify and decarbonize the transportation sector. This approach plays a crucial role in addressing global greenhouse emissions and pollution problems. However, mass integration of EVs imposes unprecedented challenges to electrical power systems, especially to their distribution grids. These challenges range from planning issues, where the traditional panning procedures are not adequate for integration of EVs and their charging stations, to operational challenges, where a huge number of dispersed EVs can cause peak load increase, voltage violations, congestions, feeder overloads, etc. Hence, despite the significant importance of maximizing the deployment of EVs, their stochastic integration can give rise to critical challenges in electric power systems, thereby impeding their subsequent expansion. Therefore, in order to properly integrate mass amounts of EVs, without causing technical violations in the electrical power system, intelligent software tools are required, to aid distribution system operators and engineers in the transition to a new era of electrified transportation. In this paper, we argue that novel software solutions called Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMSs) are a key solution for enabling a safe integration of mass amounts of EVs into emerging distribution grids. Specifically, we introduce a novel Hybrid DERMS framework, as an integration of multiple hierarchical levels of DER management solutions, and propose this solution as a suitable instrument for distribution system operators and grid engineers to safely integrate and manage high volumes of EVs within the grid infrastructure. The hypothesis is validated through a real-life use case for integration and management of high amounts of EVs into an existing distribution grid, using an industrial DERMS solution. Specifically, an in-depth analysis of adding two large charging stations, boasting capacities of 5 MW each, has been performed through all stages of integration, from the planning stage, up to using their flexible output to manage technical constraint violations in real time. The influence of these EV charging stations on both the feeder where they are planned to be integrated, as well as on the entire supply substation, have been analyzed in detail. The resultant findings, especially on successfully managing overloads, peak load increases, as well as voltage violations through intelligent use of aggregated EVs through DERMS, have proven to be notably encouraging, further substantiating the paper’s hypothesis.