Flexibility - Enabling technologies using electric vehicles

Electric car usage has been growing rapidly over the past ten years, cars stock in 2018 exceeded 5 millions, +63% from 2019, Europe is accounting for 24% of the global fleet. The request of fast, rapid and ultra rapid charge is, on the other side, posing electric power network challenges. In this scenario the DSO is interested in exploiting EV charges in terms of flexibility that can be planned in optimized way, especially when it is combined with high penetration of RES. This paper provides evidence that EVs charging sessions, planned using a dedicated forecasting module, can contribute to balance the distribution power network; for this purpose suitable flexibility-enabling technologies developed under the H2020 project SOFIE have been used. Data analysis has pointed out that a proper program of charging sessions could significantly increase self-consumption index; moreover, an optimal scheduling has been validated taking into account realistic constraints for its actual implementation. Finally, the paper shows how the enabling technologies for flexibility exploitation have been implemented and validated; notably, a rescheduling of the charging sessions is allowed through the usage of forecasting techniques as well as the implementation of blockchain technologies for enabling a flexibility marketplace.