This chapter focuses on a solar- and wind-powered charging station for electric buses, which is equipped with a set of backup batteries that serve as energy storage. Additional batteries are used to compensate for the variable and stochastic energy generation of the climate-driven solar and wind sources. The research presented here focuses on analysing the charging station's reliability in terms of covering observed load, its economic performance, impact on the power system and the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (in CO2 equivalent). The results show that such a station can not only minimise electric buses' impact on the environment and ensure satisfactory reliability levels but also be a profitable investment.

Chapter Contents:

• 12.1 Introduction
• 12.1.1 Related works
• 12.2 Methods and data
• 12.2.1 Methods and problem formulation
• 12.2.2 Input data
• 12.3 Discussion and results
• 12.3.1 Self-sufficiency and reliability of supply
• 12.3.2 Economic analysis
• 12.3.2.1 On economic justification
• 12.3.2.2 On energy balance
• 12.3.2.3 Once again on financial balance
• 12.3.3 Environmental impact
• 12.3.4 Impact on the grid
• 12.3.5 Future works
• 12.4 Conclusion
• References

Inspec keywords: power generation economics; stochastic processes; electric vehicle charging; solar power stations; air pollution control; wind power plants; hybrid power systems; power generation reliability; energy storage; investment; battery powered vehicles

Other keywords: stochastic energy generation; greenhouse gas emission reduction; power system; solar-powered charging station; backup batteries; charging station reliability; profitable investment; electric buses; wind-powered charging station; variable energy generation; economic performance; energy storage

Subjects: Wind power plants; Automobile electronics and electrics; Power system management, operation and economics; Solar power stations and photovoltaic power systems; Solar energy; Secondary cells; Probability theory, stochastic processes, and statistics; Other topics in statistics; Wind energy