Analysis of the Optimized Allocation of Wireless and PLC Data Concentrators in Extensive Low-Voltage Networks Considering the Increase in the Residential Electric Vehicles Charging

Several countries have recently encouraged the installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems and the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in urban areas to reduce dependence on carbon-based energy resources. While integrating PV systems can offer significant benefits to the network, the growing insertion of EV chargers can have a notable impact on the dynamics of low-voltage (LV) distribution networks. Therefore, to effectively leverage the advantages of PV systems and address the challenges related to the insertion of residential EV chargers, distribution companies have begun installing smart data concentrators (SDCs) at strategic points within the LV distribution network. These devices can collect and exchange information with end-users using different communication technologies, but the increased use of EVs can strongly influence the choice of the most suitable communication technologies and system optimization. In this context, this work analyzes the problem of allocating SDCs based on wireless and power line communication (PLC) technologies in extensive LV distribution networks. This analysis shows how the increasing adoption of residential EV chargers can influence the number and location of SDCs, depending on the communication technologies used. The SDCs allocation is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem, considering the penetration scenario of residential EV chargers, SDCs installation costs, and signal propagation characteristics of the communication channel as a function of distance. As a case study, SDCs are allocated in a test LV distribution network comprising 15 nodes and 45 end-users within semi-dense and dense urban environments, considering the insertion of residential EV chargers at 5%, 15%, 30%, and 50% levels. The analysis results demonstrate how the number of SDCs to be implemented can vary due to the influence of residential EV chargers. Overall, a 50% insertion of residential EV chargers requires an increase of over 80% in the number of SDCs compared to the initial requirements, and this increase applies specifically to SDCs with PLC technology. The results presented in this work may draw distribution companies’ attention to the importance of selecting the right communication technology as the use of residential EV chargers increases.