Cost-Effective Optimization of Sizing and Charging Profiles for PHEV Parking Lots in Smart Microgrids Using Harmony Search Algorithm

This paper presents an optimization approach for managing the charging and discharging of electric vehicles (EVs) in parking lots using the Harmony Search (HS) and Differential Evolution (DE) algorithms. The study is conducted on a standard IEEE 33-bus grid considering three EV penetration levels: 11.3%, 35%, and 45%. The objective is to minimize operational costs while improving grid performance. Simulation results indicate that increasing EV penetration slightly raises overall expenses due to the higher cost of vehicle charging compared to the revenue from discharging. However, EV participation significantly reduces ohmic losses and improves the grid load profile. The proposed HS algorithm outperforms the DE algorithm by achieving lower microgrid costs and better convergence efficiency. Specifically, HS reduces energy losses by up to 40%, demonstrating its effectiveness in optimizing energy management for microgrids with high EV integration.