Evolution-Assisted Deep Reinforcement Learning for Fast Charging Station Coordinated Operation

The shift towards transportation electrification, marked by the rising use of electric vehicles (EVs) and the development of fast charging stations (FCS), plays a crucial role in transport decarbonization initiatives. To optimize the rollout of FCS and set appropriate charging service fees (CSF)-a process referred to as the coupled FCS multi-stage bi-level operation problem (FCS-MBOP)-is essential for improving both investment and operational efficiency within the integrated power distribution and transportation network (CPTN). For operators, it's not only necessary to adapt to short-term fluctuations within the environment but also to swiftly respond to changes in the FCS layout resulting from various long-term investment decisions. To address this complexity, we introduce a dual-timescale evolutionary assist deep reinforcement learning framework, which includes two specialized agents with distinct functions: an investment agent (planner) and an operational agent (operator). The planner focuses on annual investments, evolving long-term strategies that weigh social benefits against investment costs through the use of a genetic algorithm (GA). In contrast, the operator acts on an hourly basis, fine-tuning CSF to alleviate traffic congestion and minimize the social costs, while taking into account the planner's feasible investment decisions. Leveraging the integrated capabilities of a graph neural network (GNN), long-short-term memory (LSTM), and attention mechanisms, our framework's agents are adept at extracting both temporal and spatial features and facilitating the transfer of experiences across different investment stages. Empirical evidence underscores the effectiveness of our approach, showcasing its ability to surpass conventional methodologies in delivering high-quality solutions.