Technical and economic analysis of EV high-power recharging pools equipped with storage

Abstract

A comprehensive network of high-power recharging points will be fundamental to enable long-distance travel for electric vehicles. However, the distribution grid may not be always capable to provide such high levels of power in every area. From this prospect, recharging pools equipped with battery storage system provide the opportunity to limit the maximum power request to the grid, avoiding the need for an upgrade to the grid connection. This solution can be implemented by means of various configuration depending on the storage system size and the relative energy management, leading to different costs. This paper carries out a technical and economic analysis of a high-power recharging pool connected to the low voltage distribution network and equipped with a stationary storage system. A simulation model developed in Modelica language is used to compare three different storage configurations. Results indicate that a peak shaving BESS is the most feasible solution. It is also observed that a reduced size would improve the profitability of the investment, supporting the EV recharge with a reasonable additional waiting time.