Optimal Operation of Electric Vehicles to Enhance the Flexibility Provision in Active Distribution Grids

The continuously increasing integration of electric vehicles (EVs) introduced significant challenges to modern power systems, while at the same time offering big opportunities for more optimal and effective operation. This study presents an operational day-ahead scheduling optimization framework to mitigate the negative impacts of EV charging while maximizing flexibility services in active distribution networks. The presented framework employs a non-linear optimal power flow model that ensures compliance with network constraints and accommodates EV user preferences. The proposed methodology is validated through realistic test case scenarios to illustrate its operational feasibility. The results reveal that in suburban areas, flexibility during working hours is limited, while flexibility during return-home hours is significantly higher. In general, the increasing adoption of electric vehicles offers substantial potential for effectively managing distribution networks.