Grid and Charging Infrastructure of the Future - FuChar

Norway has become a global leader within electric transport, and the number of electric vehicles with electric charging demand is increasing rapidly. Due to political goals, in combination with end-users' and the industry's desire for a more sustainable transport sector, electrification of transport will continue to increase. This electrification impacts all parts of the transport system, such as passenger cars, heavy-duty transport, marine vessels, etc. The increased charging demand from the transport sector will result in a considerable load increase in the electric grid. This may cause bottlenecks in the distribution grid, which could result in reduced quality of supply. In order to avoid such problems, it is important to find smart solutions for planning and operation of charging infrastructure. Thus, collaboration between charging point operators (CPOs) and grid companies (DSOs) will be important. The aim of the FuChar project is to minimise investment and operating costs related to the grid integration of electric transport. This will be done through research on the following topics, where research within electric power systems and transport systems will be important: - Analysis of transport patterns, user behaviour and charging profiles from electric vehicles - Development and testing of alternative system configurations and control systems for increasing utilisation of flexibility in charging infrastructure - Development of methods for optimal planning and operation of charging infrastructure in the distribution grid All modes of transport will be investigated, but there is a main focus on road transport. The FuChar project will mainly focus on high-power charging and other aggregated charging interfaces with a large electric charging demand. Thus, FuChar will provide increased knowledge about electrical charging and user behaviour, as well as new methods and tools for optimising grid and charging infrastructure. The aim is that this knowledge will contribute to a more user-friendly and efficient electrification of transport. In the first phase, the project has focused on getting an overview of the relevant literature from research within both electric power systems and transport systems. The aim of this is to understand the state-of-the-art methods and models for analysing the grid impact from high-power charging for electric transport, and to understand how the two research areas can be combined to improve the methods. The project has also developed several methods for modelling aggregated electric load profiles from high-power charging infrastructure. The models that have been developed can be used to model the charging demand from different types of EVs, as well as for both static and dynamic high-power charging infrastructure. In addition, several simulation studies of grid impact from high-power charging have been conducted. Furthermore, the project has analysed the possibility of offering ancillary services from high-power charging stations for electric vehicles, such as frequency and voltage support. In this work, smart use of both active and reactive power is of interest. The use of stationary battery storage systems associated with high-power charging stations has also been studied. In addition, the project has investigated the use of economic incentives (smart price signals) for electric vehicles can contribute to changing user behaviour, e.g. to avoid bottlenecks in the power system and/or bottlenecks at high-power charging stations. Some of the studies have investigated both temporal and spatial flexibility in high-power charging demand in one single framework. The purpose of all these studies is to achieve the highest possible utilisation of both the power system and the available charging infrastructure. During 2021, the project has initiated activities to develop novel methods for grid planning and operation where electric load demand from EVs is taken into consideration. As a part of these activities, the project has investigated how the uncertainty and flexibility potential in EV load can be incorporated as a part of the grid planning process. This topic will be one the main focus in the two remaining years of the project period. Two PhD students are working on their thesis as a part of the FuChar project. The project has so far educated seven master students, in addition to two ongoing master projects. There has been a high research activity in SINTEF, with more than 15 researchers involved in the research activities.

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The FuChar project will provide knowledge and tools for integrating an increasing amount of electric mobility into the grid, through a more cost-effective utilisation of existing and future medium-voltage grid. This will be made possible by increasing the knowledge about opportunities related to the utilisation of flexibility in charging infrastructure in operational use, as well as optimal capacity utilisation in the grid, by developing a methodology for optimisation of operation and investment decisions for grid and charging infrastructure. As a part of this, the project will develop and validate possible business models, framework and end-user tools for electric charging and ancillary services (e.g. grid support). The FuChar project has the aim of minimising investment and operation costs related to grid integration of electric mobility through analysis of transport patterns and charging profiles, utilisation of new technology and tools, as well as new opportunities related to end-user flexibility. FuChar mainly focuses on high-power charging stations and other aggregated charging interfaces connected directly to the medium-voltage grid, where new challenges and opportunities will arise in the coming years. The interdisciplinary work performed in the project will make use of knowledge from both the power system and transport system, which will increase the socio-economic benefit. The project will bring together expertise within electric power systems and sustainable mobility from researchers at SINTEF, NTNU and UPC, as well as from DSOs, IONITY, The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, The Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association and NVE. Political goals, together with recent technology development and more insight into transport patterns and user behaviour, give the partners in KPN FuChar a common interest in increasing the knowledge so that the electrification of the transport sector becomes as cost-effective and user-friendly as possible.