Impacts of Plug-in Vehicles and Distributed Storage on Electric Power Delivery Networks

This paper discusses studies funded by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) via SunPower, Inc. and the California Energy Commission (CEC), performed by New Power Technologies and Optimal Technologies that showed that high-penetrations of distribution-connected storage devices or plug-in vehicles can have adverse grid impacts due to their charging loads. Randomly-located or unmanaged additions, such as plug-in vehicles, can also have greater impacts at lower penetrations when compared to managed additions such as utility-sponsored storage. The studies also found that potential adverse impacts from such charging loads are highly localized, and once identified are readily managed. The studies also show the use of a high-definition Energynet (R) power system simulation and AEMPFAST (TM) power system optimization software for identifying and managing the potential impacts of distribution-connected storage.