Evaluating Time of Use rates for Electric Vehicle Charging for Distribution Companies in India

For the electricity distribution companies in India (DISCOMs), Electric Vehicles (EV) represent a significant addition to the load. It is essential to account for the additional electricity demand from EV adoption, their possible pattern and contribution to base and peak load to plan their operations efficiently. The key to solving the EV charging riddle is to make use of the inherent storage capability of electric vehicles and use it as a flexible load. Adoption of Time of Use rates provides an opportunity to the DISCOMs to shift EV loads to off peak periods. It also aids in load balancing in a distribution grid with variable generation sources. The present presents a review of the existing studies on the impact of EV charging on the distribution grid as well as a review of the current scenario of EV tariff framework in India. The paper concludes that EV charging load is ideal for responding to ToU tariff regime. The potential of electric vehicle charging as an flexible load needs be evaluated from two potential benefits to the utility (a) its potential as a storage element to reduce the increase in ramping-de-ramping of generation plants due to variable renewable energy generation and (b) its potential to shift the load to off-peak hours and flatten the load curve.