Designing EV Charging Energy Hubs to Meet Flexibility Requirements in Smart Grids
Energy hub stations represent a transformative approach to modern energy systems, functioning as flexible nodes within distribution networks. By seamlessly integrating electric vehicles (EVs) and battery energy storage systems (BESSs), these hubs address critical challenges such as grid stress, rene...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | World Electric Vehicle Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/16/1/43 |
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| Summary: | Energy hub stations represent a transformative approach to modern energy systems, functioning as flexible nodes within distribution networks. By seamlessly integrating electric vehicles (EVs) and battery energy storage systems (BESSs), these hubs address critical challenges such as grid stress, renewable energy utilization, and peak load management. This study introduces a novel mathematical optimization model designed to maximize the operational flexibility of EV charging stations by transforming them into fully functional energy hubs. The model incorporates key parameters such as energy demands, load profiles, and grid conditions to optimize the sizing and operation of distributed energy resources, including photovoltaic (PV) systems and BESSs. The proposed approach minimizes grid dependency, enabling energy hubs to efficiently operate varying levels of operational flexibility, from full reliance on grid power to complete independence. The results reveal that, by effectively shifting energy usage away from peak periods and leveraging PV generation, energy hubs emerge as a critical component of sustainable energy systems and can independently support approximately 45% of their load, with minimal PV and BESS capacities. It also reveals a direct correlation between higher flexibility levels and increased infrastructure requirements for PV systems and BESSs. The proposed model underscores the critical role of energy hubs in facilitating the global shift toward decarbonization, aligning with contemporary goals for resilient and environmentally sustainable energy ecosystems. This work provides a scalable framework for future energy systems, with significant implications for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of renewable energy and sustainable mobility. |
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| ISSN: | 2032-6653 |