Enhancing Power System Flexibility Through Efficient Integration of Facts and Electric Vehicles

Izaz Zunnurain, University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract

The global transition towards a cleaner and sustainable energy landscape has led to the integration of renewable energy sources and electric vehicles (EVs) into the modern power system, along with their complexities. Due to the high penetration of renewable energy sources and rapid growth of EVs, the power grid often experiences congestion, increasing the overall operating cost of the power system and directly jeopardizing the power stability and quality of the grid. A flexible and resilient power infrastructure that can accommodate the intermittency of renewable energy sources and the adoption of EVs is very much required to ensure the reliability of the system. This work presents a comprehensive investigation of how to enhance power system flexibility by integrating flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), optimally routing EVs, and scheduling aggregated EV charging to reduce transmission congestion and renewable curtailment, along with providing valuable ancillary services to the grid. This study explores advanced optimization models to enhance system flexibility by introducing a computationally efficient stochastic optimization model for Distributed Static Series Compensators (DSSC) allocation on the transmission lines, enhancing power system flexibility and resilience. A navigation strategy for EVs, utilizing a multi-objective optimization model to find optimal locations for long-distance traveling EVs to minimize grid impact, hence improving system flexibility. Additionally, a linear optimization model enabled EV participation in the wholesale ancillary service market, promoting grid flexibility and sustainability while addressing battery health degradation. Case study results show that optimally allocated DSSC can mitigate transmission congestions, load shedding, and renewable energy curtailment up to 100% and 90% in both normal operations and emergent situations after natural disasters, respectively. The results also indicate EVs’ contribution to reducing grid congestions and supplying as much as 97% of the required ancillary services, showcasing their potential as a valuable resource for a flexible power system.

Subject Area

Electrical engineering|Computer Engineering|Applied physics

Recommended Citation

Zunnurain, Izaz, "Enhancing Power System Flexibility Through Efficient Integration of Facts and Electric Vehicles" (2023). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI30811899.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI30811899

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