Blockchain-Based Electric Vehicle Incentive System for Renewable Energy Consumption

The rising proportion of renewable energy (RE) penetration with high variability introduces immense pressure on the stability of power grids. At the same time, a rapid increase in electric vehicle (EV) penetration level leads to uncoordinated charging loads, which poses significant challenges to operators. By properly guiding and scheduling the charging behaviors, EV may no longer be a burden, but a valuable asset to mitigate the RE integration problem. In this brief, we first propose a prioritization ranking algorithm of EV drivers based on their driving and charging behaviors, and then we propose a blockchain-based EV incentive system to maximize the utilization of RE. The proposed system is secure, anonymous, and decentralized. By incorporating the utilities, EV drivers, EV charging service providers, and RE providers into the proposed incentive system, this brief provides a plan to guide the EV users to charge at the desired time frames with higher RE generation. The market mechanism of the incentive system is discussed. The effectiveness of the system is verified by simulation.