Estimating Risk-Aware Flexibility Areas for EV Charging Pools via Stochastic AC-OPF

TL;DR

This paper presents a stochastic AC optimal power flow method to estimate risk-aware flexibility areas for EV charging pools, enabling cost-effective and reliable distribution network management under uncertainty.

Contribution

It introduces a novel stochastic AC-OPF framework that incorporates discrete utility functions and risk parameters for EV charging flexibility management.

Findings

Risk-aware flexibility areas improve system reliability.

Charging pools reduce energy payments through flexibility services.

The method effectively manages uncertainty in EV charging demand.

Abstract

This paper introduces a stochastic AC-OPF (SOPF) for the flexibility management of electric vehicle (EV) charging pools in distribution networks under uncertainty. The SOPF considers discrete utility functions from charging pools as a compensation mechanism for eventual energy not served to their charging tasks. An application of the proposed SOPF is described where a distribution system operator (DSO) requires flexibility to each charging pool in a day-ahead time frame, minimizing the cost for flexibility while guaranteeing technical limits. Flexibility areas are defined for each charging pool and calculated as a function of a risk parameter involving the solution's uncertainty. Results show that all players can benefit from this approach, i.e., the DSO obtains a risk-aware solution, while charging pools/tasks perceive a reduction in the total energy payment due to flexibility services.