Optimal Placement of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: A Case Study in Jordan

Several economic factors have contributed to an increased adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Jordan. Charging EVs constitutes a considerable electrical load, and hence, the rise in the number of EVs has a major effect on the electric distribution network. To address this, the charging infrastructure should be carefully studied, and an optimal implementation that minimizes the negative impact is crucial. In this paper, we develop a framework for optimal placement of EV charging stations using Particle Swarm optimization (PSO). The optimization problem maximizes the total EV charging capacity while minimizing transmission line and transformer loading and total power losses. This framework is implemented in MATLAB and DIgSILENT PowerFactory and applied to two cases in Jordan’s distribution network: an industrial area and a small town.