Electrified Transportation in Smart Cities: Optimal Utilization of PV for Electrified Railways and EV Charging Station

The integration of renewable energy sources into the conventional power system is becoming increasingly important for the attainment of sustainable energy solutions. The requirement of such integration is crucial in metropolitan cities for the reduction of carbon emissions and electricity costs. Considering urban transportation as a major source of carbon emissions in metropolitan cities, this study explores the energy management scheme for optimal utilization of photovoltaic (PV) for electrified railways and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The energy management system (EMS) is designed to prioritize the use of PV power, employing the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique using the perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm. In cases of insufficient or unavailable PV power, the system seamlessly draws power from the AC grid through a voltage source converter (VSC) to maintain a stable power supply to the electrified metro railway and EV charging station. Conversely, when PV generation exceeds demand, the surplus energy is fed back into the AC grid. The proposed approach works effectively for the seamless management of PV and grid power for EV charging stations and electrified railways, significantly reducing carbon emissions. For validation of the scheme, simulations were performed in MATLAB/Simulink, and results have been included.