Microgrid EMS for a Waste Management Industry with EVs, PV, and BESS

Waste collection systems are vital and energyintensive services that could become more sustainable and efficient with the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy sources (RES). However, electrifying this industry presents challenges and opportunities that have not yet been addressed in the literature. This work proposes a double-layer solution to optimally manage a waste collection electric fleet supplied by a grid-connected microgrid based on photovoltaic (PV) plant generation and a battery energy storage system (BESS). The proposed approach addresses the EV fleet scheduling problem (EVSP) and the charging scheduling problem (EVCS) while optimizing microgrid operation through an energy management system (EMS), aiming to minimize operational costs. The mathematical representation for each optimization model is presented. The study presents a comparison of 10 scenarios varying the cost functions, grid energy prices, and PV availability. The comparison shows that, under low energy prices, the use of BESS in the facilities might not be cost-effective. Also, it shows that ignoring the battery aging costs in the optimization increases the overall operational cost. Finally, the two-layer solution guarantees that the BESS and EV aging are dealt with separately, ensuring higher computing efficiency.