Abstract

In view of growing concerns of greenhouse gas emissions, electrification in the transportation fleet is expected to increase globally. To accommodate the incoming increase in energy demand from vehicle charging, the existing electrical network should be managed in a way that the load is operated with no electrical instability. Peak demand occurrences which could be measured daily, annually, weekly, monthly or annually should be avoided in order to maintain the health of the electrical network and reduce demand charges billed to the end energy user. Moreover, depending on the emissions factor of the fuel mix used in a region for energy generation the amount of emissions is influenced by the overall network’s demand through different times of the day.

This thesis addresses the effects of increasing levels of electric vehicle demand on Rochester Institute of Technology’s circuit demand profile, electricity charges and system emissions. The thesis will inform the reader about the potential changes in peak demand behavior, peak months, peak times and peak days as electric vehicle usage increases across campus. In addition, the electric vehicle penetration levels and times at which changes in overall peak demand behavior, electricity charge trend and max emissions through the day occur, will be presented in this thesis paper.

The results obtained through the impact analyses suggested that overall changes in circuit behavior start to become noticeable when electric vehicle users reach 50 times the current number of users on campus. In addition, impacts of electric vehicle demand on the overall circuit’s peak occurrences are observed to shift from afternoon to morning hours as fleet electrification increases on campus. Potential electric vehicle charging times to manage the increasing demand on campus and maintaining a leveled overall demand profile, reducing electricity charges and system emissions will be suggested in this paper.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Electric vehicles--Environmental aspects; Electric vehicles--Energy consumption; Rochester Institute of Technology--Energy consumption; Electric power consumption--New York (State)--Rochester; Energy conservation--New York (State)--Rochester--Planning

Publication Date

4-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Sustainable Engineering (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Industrial and Systems Engineering (KGCOE)

Advisor

Katie McConky

Advisor/Committee Member

Brian Thorn

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

SUSTAIN-MS

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