Mitigation of Electric Vehicle Charging Impacts Using Photovoltaic and Valley Filling in a Real Distribution Network /

Abstract

A rapid increase in global Electric Vehicle sales has been noticed in recent years due to rising concerns of environmental pollution and depleting fossil fuel reserves. These vehicles are ultimately charged from the distribution network. This paper presents a case study investigating the impact of uncontrolled EV charging on a typical urban radial residential-commercial distribution feeder for two different EV penetration levels. Research work further evaluates the effectiveness of consumer-level rooftop Photovoltaic penetration and employs Valley Filling of EV charging loads to mitigate the drastic impacts of EV charging. An analysis is being performed in view of the current condition of the grid that lacks charging station infrastructure and real-time communication between utility and consumers. DIgSILENT Power Factory software is used to model distribution networks, loads, and Photovoltaic systems. 24-hour load flow simulations are executed for multiple scenarios. Results reveal that combined PV integration and an off-peak EV load transfer strategy can strengthen distribution network performance by reducing peak demand, improving feeder voltage, decreasing energy losses, and alleviating the overloading of distribution transformers.