Optimization of Electric Vehicle Charging Strategies for Improved Stability and Energy Efficiency in Smart Distribution Grids
Keywords:
electric vehicle charging, smart distribution grid, voltage stability, energy efficiency, vehicle-to-gridAbstract
Purpose – This study evaluates electric vehicle charging strategies for improving voltage stability, reducing peak demand and distribution losses, and increasing energy efficiency in smart distribution grids.
Methodology – A quantitative simulation-based design was applied to a modified IEEE 33-bus system with 300 electric vehicles, 900 kW photovoltaic capacity, a 24-hour horizon, and 200 Monte Carlo replications. Uncontrolled, coordinated, renewable-aware, and vehicle-to-grid charging were compared.
Findings – Renewable-aware charging reduced voltage violations by 72.42%, lowered daily energy losses by 12.03%, and increased grid efficiency to 97.610%. Vehicle-to-grid charging achieved the largest peak-demand reduction of 35.15% and the lowest daily charging cost. Differences among strategies were significant at p < 0.001.
Implications – Distribution-system operators can prioritize renewable-aware charging for voltage and efficiency improvement and activate vehicle-to-grid support selectively during high network stress.
Originality – The study compares four charging strategies under identical stochastic operating conditions and jointly evaluates voltage stability, peak demand, energy losses, grid efficiency, and charging cost.
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