Zero-Carbon AC/DC Microgrid Planning by Leveraging Vehicle-to-Grid Technologies

Abstract

This paper explores the strategic planning required for a zero-carbon-emission AC/DC microgrid, which integrates renewable energy sources and electric vehicles (EVs) within its framework. It considers the rapidly growing adoption of EVs and the advent of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, which allows EVs to return energy to the grid during peak demand. The study aims to apply optimization techniques to minimize the installation cost associated with various microgrid components. In the case of microgrids, there are decision-making scenarios where multiple alternatives are present; optimization is a valuable technique for efficiently planning and designing microgrids. This work showcases case studies and sensitivity analysis plots, illustrating how output power fluctuates due to uncertainty in renewable energy sources and the absence of EVs. The findings show how V2G contributes to the demand when renewable generation is low. The sensitivity analysis also provides insights into how the unit cost is affected by demand fluctuations. In summary, the principal contribution of this study is developing a comprehensive planning framework for AC/DC microgrids. This framework considers the escalating adoption of EVs and offers practical solutions for future microgrid designs.