Analysis of electric vehicle impacts in new Mexico urban utility distribution infrastructure

Abstract

Modeling is going to play a crucial role for utilities as Electric Vehicle (EV) ownership percentage increases. Utilities anticipate new demand peaks due to EV charging loads, particularly at high penetration levels. Several efforts in the utility industry have been using a demographic approach to find potentially worst overloaded distribution infrastructure and use these locations as test beds. This paper will demonstrate the methodology used in the demographics study to identify areas of interest for urban New Mexico feeders. Using existing infrastructure with real utility GIS data, several leading modeling tools were used to identify possible long-term and short-term outcomes. Using the demographic results, system- and component-specific analysis, an impact study will identify potential impacts and mitigation opportunities. The impact analysis methodology described in this paper will identify short term and long term impacts on voltage issues, protection, Power Quality, Loading, and Control. Through modeling results, data integrity gaps, generic to other utilities can also be identified. Other methods of modeling described in this paper will use Synergee (modeling tool developed by GL Group) as a baseline to simulate the EV penetration and correlate that with other Distributed Energy Resources such as PV. General conclusions will be made based on the results of the impact study. The conclusions will be used to identify business-case opportunities such as DR, TOU and possibly V2G. The modeling efforts will also support and identify gaps in modeling software in the utility and data integrity to have real time data for distribution planning for short term and long term impacts of all DERs.