Socio-technical Smart Grid Optimization via Decentralized Charge Control of Electric Vehicles

Electrical vehicles (EVs) play a key role in the sustainability of the environment as they contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and the harness of natural resources. However, when the Smart Grid powers the charging of EVs, high energy costs and power peaks challenge system reliability with risks of blackouts. This is especially the case when the Smart Grid has to moderate additional uncertainties such as the penetration of renewable energy resources or energy market dynamics. In addition, social dynamics such as the participation in demand-response programs, discomfort experienced from alternative suggested usage of the EVs and even the fairness in the demand-response among the participating citizens perplex even further the operation and regulation of the Smart Grid. This paper introduces a fully decentralized mechanism for charging control of EVs that regulates three Smart Grid socio-technical aspects: (i) robustness, (ii) discomfort and (iii) fairness. By exclusively using local knowledge, a software agent generates energy demand plans in each EV that encode different charging patterns. Agents interact to make collective decisions of which plan to execute so that power peaks and energy cost are reduced. The impact of improving robustness on discomfort and fairness is empirically shown using real-world data under a varied level of EV participation. The findings are used to project the effect of optimization in a future forecasting scenario with mass adoption of EVs charged from the Smart Grid.