Vehicle electrification is on the brink of exponential growth. Several prominent car manufacturers will switch to all-electric offerings by 2030. There are concerns about a shortage of charging infrastructure. Several subsidy measures offer solutions. Ranging from (i) the Local Energy and Climate Pact that commits to electric (partial) mobility and aims for 1 charging point per 100 inhabitants by 2030, (ii) to the new mandatory guidelines for the installation of charging points at non-residential buildings and car parks with a deadline of 2025.
The large-scale integration of charging infrastructure will result in unpredictable grid usage with higher peak loads and greater concurrency. In addition, the necessary power electronics of this charging infrastructure together with the increasing number of PV installations creates an additional challenge. Ensuring the quality of the power grid and guaranteeing quality energy supply. After all, reduced grid quality not only reduces the operational reliability of connected components, but also leads to more grid losses. In addition, it also affects the operation of protection equipment. Overcurrent as well as person protection and interruption power may be compromised.
The presence and use of charging infrastructure also provides opportunities to invest in renewable assets such as solar panels, wind turbine(s) and/or storage systems. The natural characteristics of renewable resources and batteries makes interconnection on a shared DC bus a worthy alternative to traditional AC architecture. We study the optimal architecture and sizing of these assets from a techno-economic point of view.
We establish clear technical guidelines for the dimensioning and operation of the charging infrastructure. In doing so, we take into account both technical boundary conditions such as connection capacity or transformer power but equally the electro-technical consequences due to the use of the charging infrastructure, such as the extraction of large peak currents. The introduction of the capacity tariff in mid-2022 is an additional driver to keep peak power under control. The choice of charging strategy also plays an important role here. Dynamic charging can create load flexibility. As a result, we avoid additional investments in strengthening the electrical system. Finally, we also consider the impact of grid quality on the electrical protection system and make proposals for guaranteed and safe operation