Offering Power Reserve in Local Flexibility Markets: An Integrated EMS for V2X-Enabled Renewable Energy Communities

Abstract

As Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) drive a shift toward decentralized power systems, innovative solutions to manage the inherent intermittency of distributed energy resources are essential. This paper investigates the potential of electric vehicles (EVs) as dynamic flexibility providers within the REC framework. By leveraging smart charging and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technologies, EV fleets can act as key assets to facilitate the transition toward active distribution networks by providing upward and downward power reserves within local flexibility markets. This study presents a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP)-based Energy Management System (EMS) to optimally manage a case study REC in Northern Italy, characterized by renewable power plants and V2X-enabled EV charging stations for both electric cars and electric trucks. The proposed EMS model aims to simultaneously maximize the energy virtually shared within the REC and the provision of upward and downward reserves by the EV fleet over the considered time horizon. The EMS optimal results are analyzed for two distinct periods of the year, namely one week in spring and one in autumn, demonstrating that the flexibility guaranteed by the EVs can significantly impact the energy-sharing mechanism of the REC while at the same time providing additional revenues to the REC members.