A Case Study of the Use of Smart EV Charging for Peak Shaving in Local Area Grids

Electricity storage systems, whether electric vehicles or stationary battery storage systems, stabilize the electricity supply grid with their flexibility and thus drive the energy transition forward. Grid peak power demand has a high impact on the energy bill for commercial electricity consumers. Using battery storage capacities (EVs or stationary battery systems) can help to reduce these peaks, applying peak shaving. This study aims to address the potential of peak shaving using a PV plant and smart unidirectional and bidirectional charging technology for two fleets of electric vehicles and two comparable configurations of stationary battery storage systems on the university campus of Saarland University in Saarbrücken as a case study. Based on an annual measurement of the grid demand power of all consumers on the campus, a simulation study was carried out to compare the peak shaving potential of seven scenarios. For the sake of simplicity, it was assumed that the vehicles are connected to the charging station during working hours and can be charged and discharged within a user-defined range of state of charge. Furthermore, only the electricity costs were included in the profitability analysis; investment and operating costs were not taken into account. Compared to a reference system without battery storage capacities and a PV plant, the overall result is that the peak-shaving potential and the associated reduction in total electricity costs increases with the exclusive use of a PV system (3.2%) via the inclusion of the EV fleet (up to 3.0% for unidirectional smart charging and 8.1% for bidirectional charging) up to a stationary battery storage system (13.3%)

Europäische Sicherheits- und Verteidigungsidentität (ESVI) oder gemeinsame europäische Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik (GESVP)?

Dieses Papier diskutiert die unterschiedlichen Vorstellungen der zentralen Akteure USA und Frankreich in bezug auf die ESVI bzw. GESVP. Es schließt sich eine Analyse der Position der Bundesrepublik Deutschland gegenüber den von den USA und Frankreich vertretenen Vorstellungen und der Konsequenzen von DCI und dem europäischen Leitziel für Auftrag, Struktur, Umfang und Ausrüstung der Bundeswehr an. Aus der neuen Dualität von NATO und EU in sicherheits- und verteidigungspolitischen Fragen werden die zentralen Herausforderungen herausgearbeitet, denen sich die euro-atlantischen Beziehungen zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts gegenübersehen. Die unterschiedlichen Vorstellungen, die die USA und Frankreich mit ESVI bzw. GESVP verbinden, bergen in sich die Gefahr, daß sich die Dualität eines Tages zu einem Dualismus zwischen NATO und EU entwickeln könnte. Die euro-atlantischen Partner stehen vor der zentralen Aufgabe, Modalitäten für die gemeinsame Gestaltung einer transatlantischen und europäischen Sicherheitspolitik zu finden, die den europäischen Pfeiler im Bündnis und die Europäische Union stärkt und den transatlantischen Sicherheitsverbund und das fortgesetzte Engagement der USA in und für Europa sichert

Electric Vehicle Battery Storage Concentric Intelligent Home Energy Management System Using Real Life Data Sets

To meet the world’s growing energy needs, photovoltaic (PV) and electric vehicle (EV) systems are gaining popularity. However, intermittent PV power supply, changing consumer load needs, and EV storage limits exacerbate network instability. A model predictive intelligent energy management system (MP-iEMS) integrated home area power network (HAPN) is being proposed to solve these challenges. It includes forecasts of PV generation and consumers’ load demand for various seasons of the year, as well as the constraints on EV storage and utility grid capacity. This paper presents a multi-timescale, cost-effective scheduling and control strategy of energy distribution in a HAPN. The scheduling stage of the MP-iEMS applies a receding horizon rule-based mixed integer expert system.To show the precise MP-iEMS capabilities, the suggested technique employs a case study of real-life annual data sets of home energy needs, EV driving patterns, and EV battery (dis)charging patterns. Annual comparison of unique assessment indices (i.e., penetration levels and utilization factors) of various energy sources is illustrated in the results. The MP-iEMS ensures users’ comfort and low energy costs (i.e., relative 13% cost reduction). However, a battery life-cycle degradation model calculates an annual decline in the storage capacity loss of up to 0.013%

Zwischen Partnerschaft und Widerspruch. Die deutsch-amerikanischen Beziehungen seit dem 11. September 2001. = Between partnership and opposition. The German-American relationship since September 11, 2001. ZEI Discussion Papers C165, 2006

No abstract

Transatlantic Relations after the U.S. Elections: From Rift to Harmony?. ZEI Discussion Paper C140, 2004

Many outside the United States, Europeans in particular, reacted with “shock and awe” to the result of the presidential election of 2 November 2004. President Bush, whom an overwhelming majority never liked and many had grown to resent,2 was re-elected by a country that many observers thought they knew and understood. Values had trumped policies, as a God-fearing nation embraced the perceived morality of a Christian president in spite of misgivings about Iraq, unemployment, budget-deficits and even his competence. His consequential, controversial presidency will be extended by four more years, this time with a popular mandate: 59,5 million Americans (51 percent) voted for Bush, 56 million (48 per cent) for his Democratic challenger, Senator John F. Kerry. Bush´s straight-talking likeability, his perceived strong leadership in protecting the country against international terrorism, and his appeal to religious conservatives as defender of a traditional American moral values like the institution of marriage outweighed the appeal of what Americans acknowledged to be Kerry´s superior intellect

La politique allemande de sécurité et de défense à la croisée des chemins

German Security and Defence Policy at the Crossroads, by Franz-Josef Meiers Following the Washington and Cologne resolutions, Germany's security and defence policy is facing some far-reaching changes. The mission, numbers, structure and equipment of the German armed forces must be adjusted to the range of missions that will be most likely in the 21st century, as has been done by Germany's main European allies, France and Great Britain. It is necessary to have recourse to smaller, more flexible projection forces that can be deployed quickly over great distances.Franz-Josef Meiers étudie dans cet article l'évolution de la politique allemande de sécurité et de défense, et tout particulièrement de la Bundeswehr. Les progrès en direction d'une politique européenne de sécurité et de défense (PESD) et la définition par l'OTAN de nouvelles missions de prévention des conflits et de gestion des crises impliquent, selon lui, une mutation de la politique allemande et une adaptation de la Bundeswehr. A l'inverse du gouvernement allemand qui élude toute question de réforme structurelle, l'auteur se montre favorable à une transformation de la Bundeswehr, à l'image de ce qui s'est produit, en particulier, en France et au Royaume-Uni, avec pour objectif d'en faire à terme une force armée « de projection flexible et mobile ». Pour lui, cela doit conduire notamment à une réduction importante de ses effectifs, à des efforts en matière d'investissement et à un renforcement des forces de réaction de crise.Meiers, Skalmowski Claire. La politique allemande de sécurité et de défense à la croisée des chemins. In: Politique étrangère, n°1 - 2000 - 65ᵉannée. pp. 47-65

Electric Vehicle Battery Storage Concentric Intelligent Home Energy Management System Using Real Life Data Sets

To meet the world’s growing energy needs, photovoltaic (PV) and electric vehicle (EV) systems are gaining popularity. However, intermittent PV power supply, changing consumer load needs, and EV storage limits exacerbate network instability. A model predictive intelligent energy management system (MP-iEMS) integrated home area power network (HAPN) is being proposed to solve these challenges. It includes forecasts of PV generation and consumers’ load demand for various seasons of the year, as well as the constraints on EV storage and utility grid capacity. This paper presents a multi-timescale, cost-effective scheduling and control strategy of energy distribution in a HAPN. The scheduling stage of the MP-iEMS applies a receding horizon rule-based mixed-integer expert system.To show the precise MP-iEMS capabilities, the suggested technique employs a case study of real-life annual data sets of home energy needs, EV driving patterns, and EV battery (dis)charging patterns. Annual comparison of unique assessment indices (i.e., penetration levels and utilization factors) of various energy sources is illustrated in the results. The MP-iEMS ensures users’ comfort and low energy costs (i.e., relative 13% cost reduction). However, a battery life-cycle degradation model calculates an annual decline in the storage capacity loss of up to 0.013%

Koordinierter Betrieb eines Pumpspeicherkraftwerkes mit reversibler Pumpturbine und einem Batteriespeicher an einem geteilten Standort

Diese Veröffentlichung untersucht die Koordination von Pumpspeicherkraftwerken (PSW) und Batteriespeichern (BS) zur Steigerung der Wirtschaftlichkeit. PSW bieten eine hohe Speicherkapazität, jedoch begrenzte Reaktionszeiten, während BS niedrigere Kapazität, aber schnellere Reaktionszeiten aufweisen. Ein hybrides System aus beiden kann somit Synergien nutzen. Es wurde ein Mixed-Integer-Linear-Programming-Modell entwickelt, das den koordinierten Einsatz beider Systeme abbildet. Dabei agiert das PSW im Day-ahead-Markt und bietet Sekundärregelleistung, während der BS Primärregelleistung bereitstellt. Das Modell berücksichtigt Kosten durch Verschleiß und Alterungseffekte. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine Ertragssteigerung von 12,35% durch die Koordination im Vergleich zum eigenständigen Betrieb beider Speichersysteme. Dieser Mehrwert kann durch eine effizientere Nutzung der Kapazitäten, insbesondere des BS, im koordinierten Einsatz realisiert werden