Planning and Analysis of Microgrids for Fast Charging Stations Considering Net Zero Energy Building Indexes

Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) aggregation increases the sustainability of the Electric Vehicles (EVs) market. For example, Fast Charging Stations (FCSs) associated with distributed generation and storage systems in a microgrid infrastructure may be beneficial in increasing self-consumption and peak-shaving strategies and mitigating impacts on the grid. However, microgrid sizing planning is a complex challenge, mainly due to numerous factors related to EV market growth and user behavior. This work defines a methodology focusing on sizing planning and analysis of microgrids for FCSs based on quantitative indices formulated according to the Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) concept, optimizing self-sufficiency and limiting impacts on the primary electrical grid. The methodology is applied to a real case study considering the growth of EVs in southern Brazil. The developed analyses demonstrate that the proposed microgrid meets the energy needs of the FCS and presents the best NZEB indexes within the considered study horizon. Additionally, representative profiles were characterized for different load and generation conditions, complementing the analyses. It was shown that the storage promotes a delay and reduction in the reverse peak power flow, further enhancing the NZEB indexes.