Using GIS to assess the impact of electric vehicles on electrical distribution networks: a study applied to the city of Brescia

The local environmental concerns and the need to replace fossil fuels with renewable sources to decrease carbon dioxide emissions, are driving the spread of new technologies, such as electric heating/cooling systems, residential photovoltaic generators, and electric mobility. These new equipment will be mostly connected to the electricity distribution networks, managed by distribution system operators. The definition of realistic future scenarios, in terms of network topology and user characteristics, is essential to determine the impact of these resources. This paper shows a methodology for integrating the network data with external public databases information to forecast the future impact of electromobility. In particular, the electromobility scenario is defined by exploiting public information regarding the position of public parking areas and the Origin-Destination (O-D) matrixes. This information, together with a georeferenced description of the distribution network, can be used to determine the impact on the network of electric vehicles recharge. The methodology is applied to the distribution network of Brescia, a city in Northern Italy.