Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati have develop optimised control schemes for active power distribution networks that can enable coordinate operation of photovoltaic power generation and electric vehicle charging stations.
The research was recently publish in the prestigious journal of ‘Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks’, and will help regulate voltages generate by intermittent photovoltaic (PV) systems besides paving a way for electric vehicles to participate in the active power distribution scheme.
As per officials, electric vehicles (EVs) are being increasingly consider the solution to carbon emissions from the transportation sector.
The sustainability of EV can be enhance if the power use to charge these vehicles is also base on renewable energy sources such as solar energy.
So, solar energy is intermittent, which leads to voltage fluctuation problems in the power distribution networks.
Sanjib Ganguly, Associate Professor, Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering (EEE), IIT Guwahati Said :
“EV charging is uncoordinate at present, which leads to under-voltage of the distribution networks, and associate efficiency loss, they said. A coordinate control approach for power distribution system is require in order to derive maximum benefits from renewable power generation and electric vehicle power sourcing. PV and EV inverters need to work in coordination with other Voltage Regulating Devices (VRD) to regulate the system voltages,”.
“We have developed an optimisation-based coordinated voltage control approach of power distribution networks to mitigate the overvoltage and under-voltage problems due to high PV generation and high EV charging, respectively. The research team has developed a three-stage model predictive control (MPC) approach to schedule charging of EVs and other devices,”.
The three stages involve, coordination of the volt-var devices in two different time scales, reception of the reactive power setpoints by the local controller, and EV charge scheduling in accordance with the balance between the operating cost and customer satisfaction.
Research scholar Arunima Dutta Said :
“Our three-stage model helps in maintaining bus voltage magnitudes and state-of-charge (SOC) of EV battery within safe limits with minimal usage of control resources and cost of electricity consumption,”.
The approach develop by the IIT Guwahati team also provides a framework for the transition from passive power distribution to active.
Both solar power generation and EV can enable the transition of power distribution from a passive state (unidirectional flow of power from the grid to the consumer), to an active system wherein there is bidirectional flow of power from the grid to the point of use, and vice versa.
Research scholar Chandan Kumar Said :
“The model developed by us provides a framework of optimal G2V and V2G operation of EVs by keeping the voltages of each node of a distribution network within allowable upper and lower limits. The charging/discharging of EVs is optimally scheduled with respect to the real-time electricity pricing,”.
