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Orderly solar charging of electric vehicles and its impact on charging behavior: A year-round field experiment

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  • Fu, Zhi
  • Liu, Xiaochen
  • Zhang, Ji
  • Zhang, Tao
  • Liu, Xiaohua
  • Jiang, Yi

Abstract

Orderly charging of electric vehicles (EVs) provides a promising potential of demand-side flexibility to integrate renewable energy. However, it is often questionable in practice because of users' random and short-duration charging behavior, originating from refueling petrol vehicles. This paper proposes to guide users to charge EVs in a grid-friendly way by service mode design. We established a workplace solar charging system to provide intermittent but free charging services for employees. A year-round field experiment with typical private EV users in Beijing was conducted to demonstrate the system performance and the impact on charging behavior. Charging energy was sourced solely from rooftop photovoltaics without energy storage, covering 96.1 % of their commuting travel demand. The users developed a habit of “plugging in upon parking and keeping connected until leaving”. The mean plug-in duration increased from 2.0 h to 9.4 h (approximately the daily working hours), providing more opportunities for flexible regulation. Furthermore, the users became willing to arrive and leave with lower state-of-charge (averagely 50.3 % and 79.1 %), indicating relief of range anxiety and deceleration of battery degradation. This study provides real-world evidence for the transition of charging behavior guided by the charging service mode, which benefits EV users and contributes to grid decarbonization.

Suggested Citation

  • Fu, Zhi & Liu, Xiaochen & Zhang, Ji & Zhang, Tao & Liu, Xiaohua & Jiang, Yi, 2025. "Orderly solar charging of electric vehicles and its impact on charging behavior: A year-round field experiment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 381(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:381:y:2025:i:c:s0306261924025959
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.125211
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