EVI-EDGES: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure – Enabling Distributed Generation Energy Storage Model

NREL's EVI-EDGES model configures optimal, cost-effective behind-the-meter-storage (BTMS) and distributed generation systems based on the climate, building type, and utility rate structure of potential electric vehicle (EV) charging sites.

EVI-EDGES helps answer a key question: How can behind-the-meter storage and distributed generation mitigate the costs and grid impacts of vehicle electrification?

As NREL's premier BTMS analysis tool, EVI-EDGES optimizes BTMS system designs to mitigate the costs and grid impacts of fast EV charging through integrated thermal and battery energy storage with on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) generation.

NREL analysts work directly with business and industry partners to meet cost and performance targets for tailored BTMS solutions, focusing on:

• Levelized cost of charging (LCOC)
• Total system energy use and efficiency
• Resiliency and flexibility of the storage system.

Approach and Uses

Rapid EV adoption and increased energy demands may strain grid infrastructure and buildings operations. EVI-EDGES offers a solution by streamlining BTMS system designs to make EV charging cost-effective for drivers and profitable for businesses.

During the pre-process stage, researchers generate baseline load profiles for the building and EV charging stations. Then, leveraging NREL's high-performance supercomputing and advanced visualization techniques, EVI-EDGES determines the most cost-effective BTMS design across these parameters:

• Climate – Building energy use, battery conditioning, battery lifetime, efficiency of EVs
• Utility rate structures – Demand and energy charges
• Building type – Energy demand profiles, space limitations, population served
• Capital costs – Stationary batteries, thermal energy storage, electric vehicle charging equipment, PV panels, power electronics
• Controls algorithm – When to dispatch stationary battery and thermal energy storage
• Storage operation – Battery and thermal energy storage state-of-charge, discharge and charge rate, operating temperature.
• Existing connection to the energy grid – Potential costs for needed infrastructure improvement
• Resiliency of the system – Operation during times of power outages.