Energetica India nº91 July August 2020

ELECTRIC VEHICLE The Microgrid Solution: Transforming EV Charging Station Infrastructure for the Future As the number of EVs increases, several key problems will inevitably arise. Unmanaged peak load from EV charging will place stress on current electricity grid infrastructure, which will be detrimental to both charging point operators (CPSs) and consumers, because it will lower the quality of charging services across the entire grid. Demand pen- alties intended to work around this problem will also increase operating costs for CPOs, and this will undoubtedly be passed onto the consumer. Stress on the Grid with the Rise of EVs International electric vehicle (EV) owner- ship is expected to reach approximately 125 million units by 2030.It is therefore critical that energy providers and cities in general prepare for a considerable in- crease in demand for EV charging infra- structure. With many countries having al- ready laid out plans to phase out internal combustion engines by 2050, govern- ments are now offering incentives such as price subsidies and tax reductions to stimulate the EV market.[1] These trends will have a major impact on public infrastructure and current busi- ness models related to private mobility, mobility services, car sharing, public transport, and urban logistics. As the number of EVs increases, several key problems will inevitably arise. Un- managed peak load from EV charging will place stress on current electricity grid infrastructure, which will be detri- mental to both charging point operators (CPSs) and consumers, because it will lower the quality of charging services across the entire grid. Demand penalties intended to work around this problem will also increase operating costs for CPOs, and this will undoubtedly be passed onto the consumer. There are two solutions to these prob- lems. First is the implementation of dynamic loading to the grid. While this will ease pressure on energy infrastructure, it may require considerable modification to charging stations and the grid. It will also invariably reshape electricity consump- tion patterns. Second is the installation of on-site energy storage systems. With the load shifted from the grid, this will post- pone the need to upgrade key infrastruc- ture. Coupled with green energy, this also presents a means for CPOs to sig- nificantly reduce their operating costs. An immediate solution for EV charging stations: On-site energy storage sys- tems From an operational standpoint, the pri- mary problems faced by CPOs include determining a suitable approach to in- stalling charging facilities at existing sites and finding a balance between operational efficiency and service qual - ity. Overcoming these problems largely involves managing power distribution in the face of power capacity constraints while reducing the impact of power sup- ply spikes on the grid. On-site energy storage systems offer an immediate solu- tion. For CPOs, this presents an opportuni- ty to optimize on-site energy efficiency while easing the stress placed on cur- rent energy infrastructure as the mar- ket adapts over time. Batteries can be charged during off-peak times to save on electricity costs, and then used to pow- er EV chargers during peak periods to ensure the grid remains stable. In addi- tion to reducing operating costs, on-site energy storage systems will ultimately allow CPOs to provide EV owners with improved charging facilities and build a level of consumer confidence that is needed to further drive the EV market. The emergence of microgrids To further assisting in coping with the increase in power demand during peak times, the utilization of green energy sources—particularly solar power—can further enhance the implementation of dynamic energy management and instal- lation of on-site energy storage systems. Suitable energy management systems will allow green energy, such as from so- lar power, to be stored in on-site batteries energetica INDIA- July-Aug_2020 44