Consumer Habits based Approach to model Recharging and Grid INtegration

CHARGIN

Simulation of the charging requirements of electric vehicles

The CHARGIN model was developed by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). It enables the simulation of the time and location-specific charging requirements of electric vehicles (EVs). This is done on a microscopic level and provides detailed information about occupied charging stations, the power requirements, and the connected power of a vehicle fleet over the course of a week in hourly resolution. These results are also used to derive flexibility potential for controlled charging. The simulation can even take into account time-varying charging prices for a charging decision in order to account dor scarcity signals from the electricity system.

How it works

CHARGIN simulates charging demand on the basis of mobility data - this can come from surveys such as "Mobility in Germany" or from transport demand models such as TAPAS. Scenario framework conditions, such as fleet composition and charging prices, are also taken into account for the modelling.

The special feature is that not only the technical potential is analyzed (the vehicle is always charged when a charging point is available), but user behavior is also taken into account (i.e., the circumstances under which the vehicle is actually plugged in for charging).

CHARGIN uses the input information to model the charging behavior of each individual vehicle in the data set and uses this information to calculate the charging demand under the selected scenario conditions. Hourly-resolved profiles are calculated for the selected region over the course of a week, differentiated by charging location. The results include occupied charging stations, connected power, energy demand and flexibility potential.

Four overarching assumptions apply to the CHARGIN calculations:

  1. Electromobility will develop into a mass market.
  2. The users of electric vehicles will not change their travel behavior significantly.
  3. Users will mainly charge where they already park.
  4. The energy system can meet the demand for electricity and energy at all times.

These assumptions are consistent with other studies and the expected user behavior for a mass market of e-vehicles.

Related publications

Bidirectional Charging as a Contribution to the Energy and Mobility Transitions: a Methodology for Modelling.

Real-world charging behavior and preferences of electric vehicles users in Germany.

Comparing Power-System and User-Oriented Battery Electric Vehicle Charging Representation and its Impact on Energy System Modeling.

Comprehensive transportation and energy analysis: A price sensitive, time-specific microsimulation of electric vehicles.

Application of CHARGIN in DLR projects

MoDa

The MoDa project utilises DLR's large volumes of data and models to develop new services that help to accelerate the transition to more environmentally friendly mobility. CHARGIN is used in particular in the PowerForecastMapper (PFM) service. The PFM analyses the charging requirements of road-based passenger and freight transport as well as local rail passenger transport with high temporal and spatial resolution and in various scenarios.

FAMOUS

The core task of the project is to establish an asset sharing market model that can be integrated into existing systems in order to standardise reservation processes and encourage cross-company (B2B) and end customer (B2C) cooperation. In FAMOUS, journeys made by mobility service providers are tracked and the charging requirements (with spatial and temporal distribution) of Hamburg's future fleet are calculated from these journey diaries using CHARGIN.

InterBDL

The InterBDL research project is developing business models and regulations to utilise the battery capacities of electric vehicles as storage for the energy system. CHARGIN was used to determine the location of charging requirements and flexibility potential in Ulm.

SekQuaSens³ – Sector coupling in the neighbourhood with automated sensor technology

The energy transition is increasingly taking place directly on site. Renewable energy is being generated and used - for example through photovoltaics (PV) on roofs in buildings and neighbourhoods or through wind turbines in the outskirts of cities. Electromobility offers the best potential for utilisation. CHARGIN determines the charging requirements and flexibility in residential neighbourhoods in Delmenhorst and Berlin Moabit.

RESITEK

The Resilient Technologies for Disaster Management (RESITEK) project integrates technologies and services from the fields of aerospace, energy, transport and security into a holistic data visualisation system. CHARGIN is analysing charging requirements and flexibility through bidirectional charging in stressful situations.

Contact

Jan Grippenkoven

Head of the Department
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Institute of Transport Research
Means of Transport
Rudower Chaussee 7, 12489 Berlin