Real-Time Charging Scheduling and Optimization of Electric Buses in a Depot

Boud Verbrugge, Abdul Mannan Rauf, Haaris Rasool, Mohamed Abdel-Monem, Thomas Geury, Mohamed El Baghdadi and Omar Hegazy
Additional contact information
Boud Verbrugge: MOBI-EPOWERS Research Group, ETEC Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium
Abdul Mannan Rauf: Products Innovation & Systems Verification (PI&SV) Team, Powerdale (PWD), Witte Patersstraat 4, 1040 Brussel, Belgium
Haaris Rasool: MOBI-EPOWERS Research Group, ETEC Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium
Mohamed Abdel-Monem: Products Innovation & Systems Verification (PI&SV) Team, Powerdale (PWD), Witte Patersstraat 4, 1040 Brussel, Belgium
Thomas Geury: MOBI-EPOWERS Research Group, ETEC Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium
Mohamed El Baghdadi: MOBI-EPOWERS Research Group, ETEC Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium
Omar Hegazy: MOBI-EPOWERS Research Group, ETEC Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: To improve the air quality in urban areas, diesel buses are getting replaced by battery electric buses (BEBs). This conversion introduces several challenges, such as the proper control of the charging process and a reduction in the operational costs, which can be addressed by introducing smart charging concepts for BEB fleets. Therefore, this paper proposes a real-time scheduling and optimization (RTSO) algorithm for the charging of multiple BEBs in a depot. The algorithm assigns a variable charging current to the different time slots the charging process of each BEB is divided to provide an optimal charging schedule that minimizes the charging cost, while satisfying the power limitations of the distribution network and maintaining the operation schedule of the BEBs. A genetic algorithm is used to solve the formulated cost function in real time. Several charging scenarios are tested in simulation, which show that a reduction in the charging cost up to 10% can be obtained under a dynamic electricity price scheme. Furthermore, the RTSO is implemented in a high-level charging management system, a new feature required to enable smart charging in practice, to test the developed algorithm with existing charging infrastructure. The experimental validation of the RTSO algorithm has proven the proper operation of the entire system.

Keywords: electric buses; depot charging; charging scheduling; real-time optimization; cost analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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