Diverse Impacts of Commercial EV Charging Load Infrastructure on Electric Power Grid
Abstract
With the rising prominence of electric vehicles (EVs) in the transportation sector, this thesis delves into the critical nexus between commercial EVs, charging infrastructure, and their consequential impacts on the power grid. As commercial EVs, particularly medium and heavy-duty variants, gain traction as viable alternatives in the commercial transportation landscape, understanding the intricacies of their charging requirements becomes paramount. This thesis critically examines the technological and logistical dimensions of the charging infrastructure for supporting commercial EVs, evaluating the consequential implications on the power grid and proposing strategies for mitigation through the utilization of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). In tandem with this investigation, the study analyzes the efficiency contingency (EC) factors that influence the deployment and scalability of charging infrastructure for commercial EVs, exploring associated costs, charging demands, and scheduling.The major contributions of this thesis involve examining the impact of commercial EV loads on the power grid while also developing mitigation strategies and demand responses (DR). Chapter 3 contributes to the development of (i) an optimal commercial EV charging station infrastructure system tailored to commercial EVs' charging demands; (ii) a load curtailment solution for minimizing excess charger loads. Chapter 4 contributes to the development of (iii) a detailed analysis of efficiency contingency (EC) factors within commercial EV charging loads; (iv) an assessment of the impact of EC factors. Chapter 5 contributes to the development of (v) an evaluation impact analysis of commercial EV loads on the power grid; (vi) an integration of mitigation and demand response strategies for commercial EV load impact. All three chapters simultaneously contribute to (vii) evaluating commercial EV load characteristics related to its commercial logistics behavior and EC factors; (viii) mitigating the impact of commercial EV charging loads through various mitigation and demand response strategies. Moreover, the results of modeling commercial EV loads help simulate utility operators alleviating grid stress while maintaining end-user quality of life without requiring significant daily changes in HVAC management. The work based on this thesis is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE).
Subject Area
Electrical engineering|Energy|Engineering|Computer Engineering
Recommended Citation
Avila, Antonio, "Diverse Impacts of Commercial EV Charging Load Infrastructure on Electric Power Grid" (2023). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI30817662.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI30817662