This paper explores the implications of the increased adoption of plug-in electricvehicles in California due to the state's greenhouse gas and energy policies. Thewell-to-wheels emissions associated with driving an electric vehicle depend on theresource mix of the electricity grid used to charge the battery. We establish asystems approach that can be used to evaluate the impact of growing electric vehicledemand on existing power grid infrastructure system and energy resources. Wepresent a new least-cost dispatch model for the California electricity grid consistingof interconnected sub-regions that represent the five largest state utilities. Thismodel considers spatiality and temporal dynamics of energy demand and supplywhen determining the regional impacts of additional charging profiles on thecurrent electricity network. Model simulation runs for one year were benchmarkedagainst historical data and found to match actual generation within 5%. Sensitivityanalyses show seasonal variation in response to uncertainty of demand, a result thathas implications for future electric vehicle charging strategies. In minimizing totalsystem cost, the model will choose to dispatch the lowest-cost resource to meetadditional vehicle demand, regardless of location, as long as transmission capacityconstraints are met. PEV charging location has an effect on the utility region fromwhich additional generation originates. However, scenario testing confirms thatlocation of additional PEVs does not have an effect of overall emissions and costimpacts to the grid, provided there is available transmission capacity for the lowestcostresource to be utilized.
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