Enhancing Renewable Energy Integration and Implementing EV Charging Stations for Sustainable Electricity in Crete’s Supermarket Chain

Emmanuel Karapidakis, Marios Nikologiannis (), Marini Markaki, Georgios Kouzoukas and Sofia Yfanti
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Emmanuel Karapidakis: Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Marios Nikologiannis: Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Marini Markaki: Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Georgios Kouzoukas: Chalkiadakis S.A., 71409 Heraklion, Greece
Sofia Yfanti: Mechanical Engineering Department, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Heraklion, Greece

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: In current times, sustainability is paramount, and businesses are increasingly adopting renewable energy sources (RESs) and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to minimise their environmental impact and operational costs. Such a transition can prove challenging to multi-location businesses since each chain store functions under different constraints; therefore, the implementation of a corporate policy requires adaptations. The increased electricity demand associated with EV charging stations and their installation cost could prove to be a significant financial burden. Therefore, this study aims to investigate and develop strategies for effectively incorporating RES and EV charging stations into the operations of a supermarket chain in Crete. Monthly electricity consumption data, parking availability, and premise dimensions were collected for 20 supermarkets under the same brand. To achieve a more tailored approach to custom energy system sizing, the integration of energy storage coupled with a photovoltaic (PV) system was investigated, using the Moth–Flame Optimiser (MFO) to maximise the Net Present Value (NPV) of 20 years. The algorithm managed to locate optimal solutions that yield profitable installations for all supermarkets by installing the necessary number of PV units. Manual exploration around the solutions led to the optimal integration of energy storage systems with a total upfront cost of EUR 856,477.00 and a total profit for the entire brand equal to EUR 6,426,355.14.

Keywords: sustainability; renewable energy sources; EVs; supermarkets; photovoltaics; optimisation; metaheuristic algorithm; Moth–Flame Optimiser (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: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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