Zone substations' readiness to embrace electric vehicle adoption: Brisbane case study

This study proposes a methodology to quantify the impact of electric vehicle (EV) adoption on distribution zone substations, focusing on varying adoption levels and charging patterns. Using real-world data from South East Queensland, substation capacity is evaluated under emergency cyclic capacity (ECC) limits, considering one equipment down (n-1) conditions and scenarios with all equipment operational. Typical daily EV charging patterns and rare high-demand events, such as simultaneous EV charging, are analysed to identify potential overload risks. Results show that 78–93% of substations can accommodate 100% EV fleet penetration under normal conditions, while the remainder require further evaluation to assess compliance with technical standards. This methodology provides a comprehensive framework for understanding substation resilience, emphasising the need to consider both typical and exceptional EV charging behaviours. The findings highlight critical areas for detailed analysis to ensure network reliability under increasing EV adoption and evolving charging demands. • Assess electricity grid capacity using EV charging patterns under N-1 scenarios • Evaluate concurrent EV charging impact against the grid's Normal Cyclic Capacity • Over 78% of substations meet compliance capacity for a 100% EV fleet • Overload risk rises with higher concurrent charging of EV • EV charging assessments should incorporate high-resolution substation load data