EV Depot Charging Location Selection for Grid Code Compliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing EV depot energy management systems face challenges in maintaining voltage stability due to the integration of renewable energy resources and increasing EV loads, often resulting in grid code violations, penalties, and potential network collapse.

Innovation Solution

A method for selecting a charging location for flexible loads within an EV depot using load flow analysis and hardware processors to determine optimal charging times and stations, accounting for power schedules, distributed energy resources, and charging station capacities to minimize voltage violations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If renewable energy resources are integrated into the EV depot to reduce electricity costs, then the unit cost of energy decreases, but the probability of voltage violations (over-voltage) increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunit cost of energyVSAvoidvoltage stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs load flow analysis before charging EVs to predict voltage conditions. By analyzing the distribution network state in advance and selecting charging locations that will not cause voltage violations, the system prevents over-voltage problems before they occur, allowing safe utilization of renewable energy resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If EV charging load is increased to meet growing demand, then the service capacity improves, but the probability of voltage violations (under-voltage) increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging service capacityVSAvoidvoltage stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly distributing charging loads, the system selectively assigns EVs to specific charging stations based on local voltage conditions at each node. By identifying nodes with sufficient voltage headroom and directing charging loads to those locations, the system accommodates more EVs without causing under-voltage violations at critical points in the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If conventional first-in-first-serve charging scheduling is used to simplify operations, then the ease of operation is improved, but the likelihood of grid code violations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging scheduling simplicityVSAvoidgrid code compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs load flow analysis and determines optimal charging locations without manual intervention. The energy management system autonomously evaluates voltage conditions, selects appropriate charging stations, and schedules EVs accordingly, maintaining operational simplicity while ensuring grid code compliance through intelligent automated decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20230382260A1Charging location selection of an incoming electric vehicle for large ev depot infrastructure

Publication Date: 2023.11.30 HITACHI ENERGY USA INC

AI summary

As the use of renewable energy resources increases within charging infrastructures, the risk that charging an additional load within the charging infrastructure will create a violation of the applicable grid code also increases. In an embodiment, a charging location is selected for an incoming load based on a load flow analysis, to thereby mitigate the risk of a violation. This selection process may also account for the charging schedule of the load and the capacity of available charging stations (e.g., fast charging vs. slow charging).