Technologies for Electric Vehicle Utilization for Electric Power Optimal Management

Electric vehicles can be regarded as energy storage units. As such, they can take part in different implementations depending on the application and number of vehicles involved. If the number of vehicles is large enough, load shifting during daily hours can be achieved by appropriately charging and discharging the batteries. In this paper an overview of different process implementations, their features, potentials and limits are reported. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of accurate forecasting models both for power generation and demand and for energy prices. A key role in all the process is represented by degradation models of the battery because it is well known how charge and discharge battery cycles will rapidly shorten battery life if not properly managed. Optimization algorithms should be used to manage the power flow and maximize battery life and economic revenue.