V2Sim: An Open-Source Microscopic V2G Simulation Platform in Urban Power and Transportation Network

TL;DR

V2Sim is an open-source, Python-based simulation platform that models detailed vehicle-to-grid interactions in urban power and transportation networks, enabling precise analysis of EV charging and V2G strategies.

Contribution

It uniquely integrates microscopic urban transportation and power network models with advanced features like fault sensing and parallel processing, providing detailed V2G analysis capabilities.

Findings

Demonstrates detailed spatial-temporal EV charging patterns

Analyzes fault propagation and impact of V2G strategies

Validates platform with real-world case study from Nanjing

Abstract

This paper proposes V2Sim, an open source Pythonbased simulation platform designed for advanced vehicle-to-grid (V2G) analysis in coupled urban power and transportation networks. By integrating a microscopic urban transportation network (MUTN) with a power distribution network (PDN), V2Sim enables precise modeling of electric vehicle charging loads (EVCL) and dynamic V2G operations. The platform uniquely combines SUMO for MUTN simulations and an optimized DistFlow model for PDN analysis, with dedicated models for fast charging stations (FCS) and slow charging stations (SCS), capturing detailed charging dynamics often overlooked in existing simulation tools. V2Sim supports a range of customizable V2G strategies, advanced fault-sensing in charging stations, and parallel simulation through multi-processing to accelerate large-scale case studies. Case studies using a real-world MUTN from Nanjing, China, demonstrate V2Sim's capability to analyze the spatial-temporal distribution of EVCL and evaluate V2G impacts, such as fault dissemination and pricing variations, in unprecedented detail. Unlike traditional equilibrium models, V2Sim captures single-vehicle behavior and charging interactions at the microscopic level, offering unparalleled accuracy in assessing the operational and planning needs of V2G-compatible systems. This platform serves as a comprehensive tool for researchers and urban planners aiming to optimize integrated power and transportation networks.