Enriquez-Contreras, Luis Fernando (University of California, Riverside), Barth, Matthew (University of California-Riverside), Ula, Sadrul (University of California, Riverside)

CO₂ and Cost Impact Analysis of a Microgrid with Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: A Case Study in Southern California

Scheduled for presentation during the Regular Session "Electric Vehicles - Charging and Scheduling II" (FrAT3), Friday, September 27, 2024, 11:30−11:50, Salon 6

2024 IEEE 27th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), September 24- 27, 2024, Edmonton, Canada

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on October 7, 2024

Abstract

As a part of an innovative Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), this paper investigates the effectiveness of transportation-based microgrid configurations in reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and electricity costs. A case study at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) utilizes high-resolution California Independent System Operator (CAISO) CO₂ emission data to assess the environmental impact of each microgrid configuration. It also compares electricity costs to determine potential consumer savings. The results demonstrate that a load-following transportation microgrid strategy can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions (67%–84%) and achieve annual cost savings of approximately $24,000, even when accounting for the additional demand from daily electric vehicle (EV) charging at the building. However, battery sizing is crucial for cost-effectiveness, as load-following exhibits diminishing returns. Doubling battery capacity may yield negligible reductions in electricity costs and CO₂ emissions after exceeding certain threshold. This emphasizes the importance of optimizing battery capacity to achieve a balance between cost and environmental impact. The study further reveals that Level 2 chargers in a commercial building generally have minimal impact on building demand and energy charges. Conversely, a single Level 3 DC fast charger has a more significant impact, requiring increased solar and battery storage capacity for further cost reduction.