An assessment of the value of V2X for commercial car parks: a case study for East Midlands Airport

Registrations of electric vehicles (EVs) increased by a remarkable 40% globally in 2020, signalling a significant transition from internal combustion engines. In the UK, the number of EVs on the road is projected to reach a staggering 10 million units by 2030, constituting 30% of total vehicles on the road. However, this shift towards EVs poses challenges to the existing energy infrastructure if the demand of electricity is not effectively managed. Simultaneously, EV batteries' energy storage capacity opens up new prospects for bi-directional charging and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) services, which enable energy flexibility, trading and grid arbitrage. In this study, the authors assessed the impact of EVs on the future energy landscape for a large commercial parking facility at East Midlands Airport from 2022 to 2030, considering three EV charging scenarios: unmanaged charging, peak shaving, and grid arbitrage. Simulation results demonstrated that the peak shaving mode offered cost benefits by optimising charging during lower demand periods, resulting in a significantly reduced potential EV net costs due to charging (more than 20% savings compared to the unmanaged charging strategy in all years). The most promising solution was the bidirectional charging facility with grid arbitrage, enabling EVs to charge during periods of lower tariff and discharge during periods of higher tariff. This mode offered more than 200% savings compared to the unmanaged charging strategy in all years. The findings highlight the importance of investment in infrastructure and innovative technology today to prepare for future EV penetration, as a delayed deployment of necessary infrastructure will limit accessibility of the identified opportunity.