Server Apparatus for Community EV Charging Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In communities that purchase electricity from an electric company, excess or shortage in electricity purchases result in inefficiencies such as imbalance fees or the need for more expensive electricity, due to unpredictable electricity consumption patterns, including those from battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Innovation Solution
A server apparatus and system that communicate with vehicles and charging/discharging apparatuses to manage a charging/discharging plan, including timing and location, based on operation information, to optimize the use of predetermined community-purchased electricity, ensuring efficient consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electricity is purchased in advance for a community, then the community can ensure power supply stability, but inefficiencies occur due to unpredictable electricity consumption patterns from vehicles and facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The server creates charging/discharging plans in advance based on predicted vehicle operations and community electricity consumption. The controller transmits these plans to vehicles and charging/discharging apparatus before the actual electricity purchase, enabling preliminary coordination of battery electric vehicle charging with community power needs to avoid imbalance fees and inefficient electricity usage.
2Ease of operation
If the charging timing and location of battery electric vehicles are not managed, then vehicles have operational flexibility, but electricity consumption patterns become unpredictable causing imbalance fees
Solution Approach 1:
The server receives operation information from vehicles (such as travel routes, charging needs, and availability) and uses this feedback to create optimized charging/discharging plans. The controller transmits these plans back to vehicles and charging apparatus, creating a closed-loop system that maintains vehicle operational flexibility while coordinating electricity consumption to match community needs and avoid imbalance fees.
3Reliability
If excess electricity is purchased for the community, then power supply reliability is improved, but additional costs are incurred through imbalance fees and purchase of expensive electricity
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts charging/discharging plans based on actual vehicle operation information and community electricity consumption patterns. Rather than using fixed, excessive electricity purchases, the server optimizes the charging schedule in real-time, allowing the community to purchase only the necessary amount of electricity while maintaining supply reliability through coordinated battery usage from electric vehicles.
Data Source
AI summary
A server apparatus includes a communication interface and a controller configured to communicate using the communication interface. The controller is configured to receive, from a vehicle driven by electricity from a battery, operation information on operation of the vehicle, transmit, to the vehicle or a charging/discharging apparatus, information on a charging/discharging plan for charging the battery with predetermined electricity purchased by a community, the charging/discharging plan including a charging/discharging timing for the vehicle and a charging/discharging location within the community based on the operation information, and control the vehicle or the charging/discharging apparatus to execute the charging/discharging plan.