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Using electric vehicles to enhance power outage resilience - An agent-based modeling approach
Mike Churchill1,2, Jacob Monroe2, David Bristow3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Canada.
Heliyon
|June 13, 2024
Summary
Electric vehicles (EVs) can bolster community resilience during power outages by providing essential services like energy donation and transport. Optimizing EV fleet tasks and microgrid storage significantly extends support duration.
Area of Science:
- Electrical Engineering
- Disaster Management
- Transportation Systems
Background:
- Power outages pose significant risks to critical infrastructure, exacerbated by increasing transportation electrification.
- Electric vehicles (EVs) present a dual role: contributing to electrification while offering solutions for grid resilience during outages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the novel application of agent-based modeling for assessing the community resilience enhancement capabilities of EV fleets during power outages.
- To analyze the impact of EV fleet functions (energy donation, delivery, transport) and microgrid configurations on outage support duration.
Main Methods:
- Development and utilization of an agent-based model simulating an EV fleet interacting with a microgrid during power outages.
- Evaluation of microgrid components including a solar array, EV fast chargers, and varying storage capacities.
- Analysis of key performance indicators such as energy donated, microgrid energy consumption, and supported outage length.
Main Results:
- Increased microgrid storage capacity significantly extended the duration of power outage support.
- Prioritizing EV fleet tasks for delivery and transport over energy donation also enhanced supported outage length.
- The study quantified the energy dynamics and support capabilities of the simulated system.
Conclusions:
- EV fleets, when integrated with microgrids, can significantly improve community resilience to power outages.
- Strategic deployment of EV functions and adequate energy storage are crucial for maximizing their effectiveness during disasters.
- Agent-based modeling provides a valuable framework for studying complex interactions between EVs, microgrids, and community needs during emergencies.
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