FuChar - Grid and Charging Infrastructure of the Future

This WP will investigate system topologies and control strategies (e.g. Model Predictive Control) suitable for charging infrastructure connected to the MV grid. Thus, research question Q3 will be addressed to generate knowledge about opportunities related to different charging technologies and corresponding control strategies, including possibilities to provide V2G functionality and/or ancillary services from local energy storage. The WP is divided into four subtasks:

Task 3.1 – System topologies for high power charging stations

Evaluate system topologies suitable for EVV charging in the MV grid, including emerging solutions for large- scale charging infrastructure with multiple charging points. The evaluation will include emerging solutions, such as wireless charging with transformer-less connection to the MV grid, as well as conventional power conversion topologies for high-power installations with local energy storage etc. The task will also investigate the local control strategies required for operation of such large-scale charging infrastructures for various applications.

Task 3.2 – Control strategies for local energy storage systems and provision of grid services

Evaluate the need for local stationary battery storage in large scale charging infrastructures, and the potential for providing flexibility and grid support by V2G services (including active and reactive power control, transient support, frequency regulation, damping of oscillations etc.). The task will also assess how provision of services by state-of-the-art control strategies can enable higher utilisation of existing infrastructure.

Task 3.3 – Operational strategies and DSO interaction

Assess the need for interaction between the DSO and the local control system of the charging infrastructure with its associated sources of flexibility (i.e. converters, local energy storage and/or on-board energy storage of charging vehicles). This includes evaluation of centralised, decentralised and/or autonomous control strategies for ensuring that the new technologies can be effectively utilised in grid operation. The task will develop system-level control methods and operational strategies for high-power charging stations to serve as a flexibility source.

Task 3.4 – Laboratory demonstration

Demonstrate and validate the potential system configurations and control strategies of charging infrastructure through scaled experiments in the National Smart Grid Laboratory.