Value of flexible electric vehicles in providing spinning reserve services

As the share of integrated renewable energy sources (RES) increases, traditional operation principles of the power systems need to change in order to maintain reliable and secure service provision, on one hand, and minimal cost and environmentally friendly electricity generation on the other. The challenge of alleviating additional uncertainty and variability brought by new sources to the system operation is seen as defining both flexibility capacities and flexibility requirements through provision of multiple services. In this context the role of emerging technologies, such as electric vehicles (EV) and energy storage (ES), is recognized through their active participation in providing both energy and reserve service.This paper elaborates on the benefits of active EV participation in multiple system services through various charging strategies. The presented mixed integer linear programming (MILP) unit commitment problem (UC) considers the capability of EV to provide primary, secondary and tertiary reserve as well as energy, however the focus is put on the benefits of EV providing spinning reserve services. The results clearly show benefits of multiple EV role to that of providing energy only. In addition the paper analyses multiple power systems, with regards to their energy mix, and recognizes how integration of EVs reflects on power system flexibility through metrics expressed as operational cost, environmental benefits and reduced wind curtailment.