Dynamic distribution network reconfiguration considering travel behaviors and battery degradation of electric vehicles

Increasing remote-controlled switches (RCSs) in the distribution network enhances not only the restoration capability, but also the flexibility to cope with the uncertainties of renewable generation and variable loads through dynamic reconfiguration. However, the switching frequency remains a significant concern for system stability. In this paper, we investigate the potential benefits of reducing switching frequency by coordinating electric vehicles (EVs) with distribution network operation, considering EVs' daily travel patterns and battery degradation cost. The problem is formulated as mixed-integer quadratic programming (MIQP). Testing our model on the IEEE 33-node test feeder, we find that EVs can potentially reduce the frequency of switching while maintaining desirable system performance. In addition, battery degradation cost, incurred by vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services, is only a small portion of the total system operational cost.