Useful global model for charging/discharging plug-in Electrical Vehicles in a parking lot

Plug-in Electrical Vehicles (PEVs) are nowadays increasingly penetrating the car market. Charging stations are becoming a lucrative business especially for the public parking lot owners where they can be installed and operated. PEVs can be used as energy storage elements during low demand and as energy sources during peak demand. Some technical problems related to the management of the charging stations may arise. Simultaneously charging a large number of PEVs in a parking lot may disturb the power system due to an unexpected peak demand. To overcome this situation, some researchers are suggesting different forms of Charging and Discharging Schedules (CDS). A reliable model for the flow of vehicles entering/leaving the parking is very essential to define an accurate CDS. In this paper, a new approach for modeling the flow of vehicles is developed, and it is shown how a CDS is related to it. In addition, it shows how incentive programs can contribute to increasing the financial benefits and at the same time reducing the disturbances on the power network.