Strategic Allocation of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Distribution Networks: A Novel Reliability-Based Approach

The penetration of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the Distribution Networks (DNs) hampers the network operation. Unplanned integration of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructures (EVCI) in the DN deteriorates the network’s technical parameters and reliability. This study proposes a novel methodology to properly allocate EVCI, incorporating a unique bus Reliability Index to identify strong and weak buses to properly place the EVCI in the DNs, thereby reducing EVS impacts on the DN. The EV load used in this paper is real data with the charging history of residential apartments in Norway. The analysis was done on the IEEE 15-bus DN and the 28-bus Indian rural DN, evaluating the impacts of Charging Infrastructures on the DN reliability. Various technical parameters, including power loss, voltage profile, and reliability indices such as Expected Energy Not Served, System Average Interruption Frequency Index, System Average Interruption Duration Index, and Average Expected Energy Not Served, are assessed. The results illustrate that strategic EVCI placement using the proposed methodology significantly mitigates EVCI adverse impacts on the DNs’ reliability compared to other EV allocation strategies. This research contributes valuable insights for distribution system operators in planning and managing EV integration while maintaining system reliability and efficiency.