Optimal strategies for battery switch stations for electric vehicles

Abstract : The central network operator could control the recharging of batteries in cars but this requires a detailed knowledge of the state of each battery & of car owner’s driving patterns, making it very difficult to optimise properly. Instead we consider the case where batteries are exchanged at a battery switch station (where batteries are anonymous). BSS operator has 2 ways of buying the power to recharge the batteries: • By negotiating an energy purchase contract with an electricity supplier • By buying & selling on the day-ahead market. We developed strategies for BSS to buy & sell power via the day-ahead market. They were optimised for a fleet of 300,000 EVs using market data from France for years 2010 & 2011. • Impact of these strategies on day-ahead prices & volumes. • How robust are these strategies?