Economic benefits of DSTATCOM for ancillary services in commercial charging stations: Marginal occupancy analysis

• The new cost modelling proposes which associates DSTATCOM for VCAS and electricity billing based on the different costs. • The proposed model has been validated for the technical feasibility of DSTATCOM, considering dynamic load changes with time. • A Commercial Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS) connected to the IEEE 33-bus radial distribution system is modelled using data from Denver, Colorado, USA. • The data utilized is obtained from the electric vehicle infrastructure projection tool of the Alternate Fuels Data Centre, USA. • The results are analysed to underscore the significance of VCAS, and the threshold conditions required to derive benefits at a commercial EVCS. To promote the widespread adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) as the primary mode of transportation, it is essential to enhance the availability and acceptability of charging facilities. This includes not only residential charging options but also the expansion of commercial Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) accessible to the public. The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model encourages private investors to contribute to the development of infrastructure for commercial EVCS. However, this may intensify competition among investors, creating opportunities to offer additional services that benefit both customers and utility providers. The integration of ancillary services, such as Voltage Control Ancillary Service (VCAS), into the existing pricing model can lead to technical and economic advantages. This approach optimizes the utilization of the available power system setup, provides investors with incentives by eliminating penalties and reducing electricity charges, and offers customers reliable, continuous, and cost-effective charging facilities. This work proposes a new cost model for charging electric vehicles, incorporating Voltage Control Ancillary Service and a Time-of-Use pricing model. Proposal for including VCAS and Time of Use billing mechanism for running a commercial charging station with technical performance validation is the main salient feature of this article. The cost modeling is elaborated using load profiles scaled down from real data obtained from Denver, Colorado, USA. An analysis of overall expenses under varying load conditions and power factors is conducted to identify optimal conditions for implementing VCAS in existing commercial EVCS.