A semi-distributed charging strategy for electric vehicle clusters

Uncoordinated charging of electric vehicle (EV) clusters can lead to unanticipated surges in demand that strain the grid, hence reducing its reliability. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a semi-distributed control method for EV clusters charging where the decision process takes place locally, rather than relying on an external controller. The method ensures that charging demand can be fulfilled while achieving several goals, including following local renewable energy generation, pausing charging for transformer protection, and continuing charging progress in the absence of external information. The proposed method is validated through simulations and experimental tests during a public demonstration. The results demonstrate the functionality of the control method and show that it can effectively manage the charging of a cluster of EVs while reducing strain on the power grid.