Techno Economic Analysis of Electric Vehicle Grid Integration Aimed to Provide Network Flexibility Services in Italian Regulatory Framework

Abstract

The recent forecasts regarding the penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) in the transport market and their impact on national electricity distribution grids has presented new challenges in the fields of both of application and research. In this context, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology presents itself as an extremely valid solution in terms of application of the “demand side flexibility” paradigm. In this context, the aim of the paper is to analyze from a technical and economical point of view the use of EVs as new flexibility resources to provide network flexibility services in an Italian framework. Within this scope, a methodology for evaluating the flexibility service that a single EV or an EV fleet can offer, and therefore for estimating the EV storage system charge and discharge profile and determining its economic benefit, is proposed. Some numerical results and observations are reported to highlight possible incentive mechanisms for motivating EV end-users to offer flexibility services.