Benefits from Electric Vehicles for the Philippine Power Grid

The last blogs I posted on electric vehicles (EV) may seem to have created the wrong impression in what I’m trying to do. I analyzed the loading impacts of E-Jeepneys and E-Trike to local electric distribution power system, specifically loading up a pole mounted distribution transformer. In practice, these scenarios are very real and can be prevented by planning and coordinating new loads which are the EVs under the government’s program.

The overloading of electrical equipment, at least locally, is just one tiny bit on one side of the fence. EVs when largely manufactured and utilized can be a resource of power grid reliability and security support, just like any other ancillary services.

References [1-4] provide simulations and analysis on the following:

• Frequency regulation – NGCP procures frequency regulation from on-line generators which are called spinning reserves. A big bulk of load can be aggregated and adjust accordingly to maintain system frequency, like a spinning generating reserve. I posted that the vision of DOE to have 100,000 E-Trikes by 2017 will have a MW load greater than the Quezon Power plant which is 480 MW. EV charging is via power electronic converters/inverters which are controllable. The charging of E-Trikes if coordinated accordingly to serve a load serving as a spinning reserve is a promising capability for E-Trikes or any large scale electric vehicle when aggregated.

• Reactive power compensation – Again, NGCP installs and may procure voltage support services from generation or invest on its own reactive power devices. In [3], the authors described an EV charging system which can be a source of reactive power compensation. This system is allowed to inject or consume reactive power whichever is needed by the power system in real time. In [4], the authors provided a pricing methodology for wind farm reactive compensation provided by an EV charging park.

• Contribution to system security – NGCP procures contingency reserves per Philippine Grid Code.  These are generators which are on-line ready to respond (increase or decrease their output) in times of a system disturbance. Authors in reference [2] indicate that EV chargers have response time faster than generators. In this case, going back to the 100,000 E-Trike, you may have a large “generator” providing that contingency reserve to mitigate any undesirable system condition due to a disturbance.

For large scale E-Trike or E-Jeepney charging, which is envisioned in the Philippines, these features would become income generating resources for EV operators or aggregators. Also, the NGCP will have another source of ancillary services which can be counted upon to support grid reliability and security.

References:
[1]    Chenye Wu, Hamed Mohsenian-Rad, Jianwei Huang, Juri Jatskevich, “PEV-Based Combined Frequency and Voltage Regulation for Smart Grid”, in Proc. of the IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference (ISGT’2012), Washington, DC, January 2012.
[2]    Sakis Meliopoulos, Jerome Meisel, George Cokkinides and Thomas Overbye, "Power System Level Impacts of Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles." PSERC Document 09-12, PSERC Final Report. October 2009.
[3]    M. Kisacikoglu, B. Ozpineci, L. M. Tolbert, "Examination of a PHEV Bidirectional Charger System for V2G Reactive Power Compensation," IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference, Palm Springs, California, Feb. 21-25, 2010, pp. 458-465.
[4]    Chenye Wu, Hamed Mohsenian-Rad, and Jianwei Huang, “PEV-based Reactive Power Compensation for Wind DG Units: A Stackelberg Game Approach”, accepted for publication in Proc. of the IEEE Conference on Smart Grid Communications (SmartGridComm’12), Tainan City, Taiwan, October 2012.