Assessing the Ramifications of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure on Smart Grid Systems in Zambia

Information and communications technologies are rapidly decreasing in cost and becoming ubiquitous, enabling more flexible and efficient consumption of electricity, improved visibility of network use, and enhanced control of power systems. These technologies are being deployed amidst several broad drivers of change in power systems, including growth in the use of variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy; efforts to decarbonize the energy system as part of global climate change mitigation efforts; and the increasing interconnectedness of electricity grids and other critical infrastructures, such as communications, transportation, and natural gas networks. The process of electrifying road transportation, which is now in its early stages in Zambia, is widely regarded as a crucial step in bringing greenhouse gas emissions down to safe levels. The process of electrification is intricate and involves developing new technologies, infrastructures, behaviors, stakeholders, business models, and interactions with them all. We used PowerFactory’s DIgSILENT Quasi Dynamic Simulation to mimic charging behavior to evaluate the effect of EVs on the smart grid system. The findings thus far support the notion that attacks on these systems could have repercussions ranging from short-term regional disruptions to long-term national disturbances.