Xingpeng Li

Linhan Fang, Elias Raffoul, Xingpeng Li

While the rapid proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs) accelerates net-zero goals, uncoordinated charging activities impose severe operational challenges on distribution grids, including exacerbated peak loads, thermal overloading, and voltage violations. To overcome the computational intractability of jointly optimizing grid infrastructure reinforcements and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) installations, this paper proposes a novel three-stage Diagnosis-Driven Co-Planning (DDCP) framework. The methodology integrates a Violation Detection and Quantification (VDQ) model to systematically identify system breaches, and a Violation Mitigation-Based Planning (VMBP) model for optimal BESS allocation. Specifically, Stage I of the DDCP framework diagnoses critical bottleneck lines that render standalone BESS solutions infeasible; Stage II executes targeted physical upgrades exclusively on these bottlenecks; and Stage III finalizes the optimal BESS deployment on the updated network topology. Furthermore, this study quantifies the EV hosting capacity thresholds before and after BESS integration across varying EV adoption rates and base voltages. Finally, a comprehensive comparative analysis evaluates four mitigation approaches: the VDQ-driven cable upgrade (VCU) model, the VMBP model, system-wide voltage uprating, and the proposed DDCP framework. The results demonstrate that the DDCP framework not only resolves the complex joint-optimization hurdle but also achieves superior techno-economic performance in addressing high-EV-penetration challenges.

Ann Mary Toms, Xingpeng Li

The global transition towards renewable energy has accelerated the deployment of utility-scale wind farms, increasing the need for accurate performance and economic assessments. Although wind energy offers substantial potential for carbon emission reduction, investment decisions are highly sensitive to predicted annual energy production and economic profitability. Conventionally wind farm analyses often estimate turbine power output based solely on incoming wind conditions, neglecting wake interactions between turbines. These wake effects can significantly reduce downstream turbine performance, leading to overestimation of energy yield and financial returns. This study proposes WAKE-NET a wake-aware optimization framework that incorporates both turbine layout optimization and hub height diversification across turbines of varying capacities. Unlike traditional approaches that assume a uniform hub height or ignore wake dynamics, the proposed methodology accounts for wake-induced power losses in its framework. Results indicate that the benchmark model that neglects wake effects can overestimate annual profits, while the use of multiple hub heights reduces wake overlap and associated power losses. Overall, the findings demonstrate that wake-aware design and hub height diversity improve energy yield accuracy and economic viability, offering a valuable guidance for wind farm developers and investors seeking to invest in renewable energy systems.