The Use of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles For Peak Shaving

This thesis entitled The Use of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles For Peak Shaving by Benjamin Maples, submitted to the department of Mechanical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the degree of Master of Science, performed under the supervision of Professor Frank Kreith, is a feasibility analysis of the capabilities of PHEV‟s for peak shaving. The analysis focuses on energy availability of the PHEV fleet as well as the potential financial benefit to the vehicle owner by analyzing different charging scenarios and circuitry. The energy availability is heavily dependent on the location and availability of charging stations. The potential consumer profit is most dependent on the charging circuitry. The major findings of the study shows that under certain scenarios, such as the charge everywhere baseline case, using PHEV‟s for peak shaving is possible and could provide vehicle owners with significant compensation for the energy stored in their vehicles batteries.