Voltage-Based Droop Control of Electric Vehicles in Distribution Grids under Different Charging Power Levels

Muhandiram Arachchige Subodha Tharangi Ireshika, Ruben Lliuyacc-Blas and Peter Kepplinger
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Muhandiram Arachchige Subodha Tharangi Ireshika: Illwerke vkw Endowed Professorship for Energy Efficiency, Energy Research Center, Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences, 6850 Dornbirn, Austria
Ruben Lliuyacc-Blas: Illwerke vkw Endowed Professorship for Energy Efficiency, Energy Research Center, Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences, 6850 Dornbirn, Austria
Peter Kepplinger: Illwerke vkw Endowed Professorship for Energy Efficiency, Energy Research Center, Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences, 6850 Dornbirn, Austria

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-12

Abstract: If left uncontrolled, electric vehicle charging poses severe challenges to distribution grid operation. Resulting issues are expected to be mitigated by charging control. In particular, voltage-based charging control, by relying only on the local measurements of voltage at the point of connection, provides an autonomous communication-free solution. The controller, attached to the charging equipment, compares the measured voltage to a reference voltage and adapts the charging power using a droop control characteristic. We present a systematic study of the voltage-based droop control method for electric vehicles to establish the usability of the method for all the currently available residential electric vehicle charging possibilities considering a wide range of electric vehicle penetrations. Voltage limits are evaluated according to the international standard EN50160, using long-term load flow simulations based on a real distribution grid topology and real load profiles. The results achieved show that the voltage-based droop controller is able to mitigate the under voltage problems completely in distribution grids in cases either deploying low charging power levels or exhibiting low penetration rates. For high charging rates and high penetrations, the control mechanism improves the overall voltage profile, but it does not remedy the under voltage problems completely. The evaluation also shows the controller’s ability to reduce the peak power at the transformer and indicates the impact it has on users due to the reduction in the average charging rates. The outcomes of the paper provide the distribution grid operators an insight on the voltage-based droop control mechanism for the future grid planning and investments.

Keywords: electric vehicles; demand response; demand side management; voltage-based droop control; distribution grids; voltage violations (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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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