June 8, 2022
Location, location, location
By Elana Knopp, Senior Content Writer
Innovation will be key to accelerating the clean energy transition and reaching a net zero economy. Edison Energy is following the latest innovations in decarbonization across technologies, projects, and programs, from conception through completion.
The innovation
Integrated Power-Transportation Charging System
The big picture
The computational model can be used to determine optimal locations for siting EV charging stations, as well as how powerful the charging stations can be without placing an undue burden on the local power grid.
The players
Researchers at North Carolina State University
How it works
While much work has been done around the deployment of EV charging stations, researchers found that most efforts have been focused on siting these stations based on what would work best for a power system or a transportation system.
But the best location for a charging station from a power system standpoint is often not the best location from a transportation system standpoint, according to Leila Hajibabai, a researcher and assistant professor in NC State’s Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.
The integrated power-transportation model looks at power systems, transportation systems, and user decision-making in order to find the best compromise, enabling real-time interactions between power distribution networks and EV charging networks.
The power system component of the model accounts for the limitations of the power distribution network, including its power flow, voltage, and current. The transportation component of the model accounts for the number of travelers, the routes that they take when traveling, and how far their vehicles can go before they need to be recharged. To account for user decision-making, the model tries to identify locations that will minimize travel time for users.
Why it matters
The model can be used to inform the development of EV charging infrastructure at multiple levels, from projects aimed at supporting local commuters to charging facilities that serve interstate highway travel.
Next steps
Researchers are currently in discussions with state and local governments, as well as power utilities, to use the model to inform the development of EV charging infrastructure in North Carolina.
Stay tuned for the next installment of the Energy Edge Innovation Series!
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