Optimal Placement of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles’ Parking Lots in a Residential Distribution System

Abstract

Depletion of non-renewable resources of energy such as coal and other fossil fuels and concerns about greenhouse gas emissions have laid a path to find alternatives to internal combustion engine (ICE) based vehicles. A type of electric vehicle, popularly known as a Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicle (PHEV), has the ability to utilize the energy stored in a battery, as well as energy generated by the ICE in it for locomotion. PHEVs’ batteries can be charged by connecting them straight to normal electric sockets used in residential settings. As the number of PHEVs in a residential area increases, the existing grid has to supply the extra electrical energy required for charging them, which in turn can have negative impacts on the grid. Moreover, the parking lots from where PHEVs can get charged require special attention. This paper determines the optimal location of PHEVs’ parking lots in a residential distribution system considering losses in the system. The IEEE 33 bus radial distribution network is considered in this work. The genetic algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem for the optimal location of parking lots. For comparison, the parking lots are placed randomly in the same network. Simulation results prove the necessity of the optimal placement of PHEVs’ parking lots in a distribution system.