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...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | World Electric Vehicle Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/16/1/43 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832587269020581888 |
|---|---|
| author | Walied Alfraidi Fahad Alaql Khalid AlMuhanna Hassan M. Hussein Farh Abdullrahman A. Al-Shamma’a |
| author_facet | Walied Alfraidi Fahad Alaql Khalid AlMuhanna Hassan M. Hussein Farh Abdullrahman A. Al-Shamma’a |
| author_sort | Walied Alfraidi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-23d3d71ea5c146cdba6b2815c5333425 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2032-6653 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | World Electric Vehicle Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-23d3d71ea5c146cdba6b2815c53334252025-01-24T13:52:52ZengMDPI AGWorld Electric Vehicle Journal2032-66532025-01-011614310.3390/wevj16010043Designing EV Charging Energy Hubs to Meet Flexibility Requirements in Smart GridsWalied Alfraidi0Fahad Alaql1Khalid AlMuhanna2Hassan M. Hussein Farh3Abdullrahman A. Al-Shamma’a4Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11564, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11564, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11564, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11564, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11564, Saudi ArabiaEnergy 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/16/1/43electric vehiclesphotovoltaicbattery energy storage systemflexibilitysmart grids |
| spellingShingle | Walied Alfraidi Fahad Alaql Khalid AlMuhanna Hassan M. Hussein Farh Abdullrahman A. Al-Shamma’a Designing EV Charging Energy Hubs to Meet Flexibility Requirements in Smart Grids World Electric Vehicle Journal electric vehicles photovoltaic battery energy storage system flexibility smart grids |
| title | Designing EV Charging Energy Hubs to Meet Flexibility Requirements in Smart Grids |
| title_full | Designing EV Charging Energy Hubs to Meet Flexibility Requirements in Smart Grids |
| title_fullStr | Designing EV Charging Energy Hubs to Meet Flexibility Requirements in Smart Grids |
| title_full_unstemmed | Designing EV Charging Energy Hubs to Meet Flexibility Requirements in Smart Grids |
| title_short | Designing EV Charging Energy Hubs to Meet Flexibility Requirements in Smart Grids |
| title_sort | designing ev charging energy hubs to meet flexibility requirements in smart grids |
| topic | electric vehicles photovoltaic battery energy storage system flexibility smart grids |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/16/1/43 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT waliedalfraidi designingevchargingenergyhubstomeetflexibilityrequirementsinsmartgrids AT fahadalaql designingevchargingenergyhubstomeetflexibilityrequirementsinsmartgrids AT khalidalmuhanna designingevchargingenergyhubstomeetflexibilityrequirementsinsmartgrids AT hassanmhusseinfarh designingevchargingenergyhubstomeetflexibilityrequirementsinsmartgrids AT abdullrahmanaalshammaa designingevchargingenergyhubstomeetflexibilityrequirementsinsmartgrids |