Utilizing plug-in electric vehicles for peak shaving and valley filling in non-residential buildings with solar photovoltaic systems

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of utilizing plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in large non-residential buildings for peak shaving and valley filling the power consumption profile, given that the energy cost of commercial electricity customers typically depends on both actual consumption and peak power demand within the billing period. Specifically, it describes a hybrid approach that combines an artificial neural network (ANN) for solar irradiance forecasting with a MATLAB/Simulink model to simulate the power output of solar PV systems, as well as the development of a mathematical model to control the charging/discharging process of the PEVs. The results obtained from simulating the case of the power consumption of a university building, along with experimental parking occupancy data from a university parking lot, demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed approach.