Electric vehicle adoption in renewable energy systems: balancing green transportation and grid stability

Researchers at the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India, have developed a groundbreaking model that reveals the complex relationship between electric vehicle adoption and renewable energy-dominated electricity systems

As nations worldwide strive to achieve carbon neutrality, two major interventions have emerged as critical pathways: the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and the transition to renewable energy (RE) for electricity generation. While both strategies aim to reduce carbon emissions, their intersection creates unique challenges for electricity grid management.

A new study from the Department of Management Studies at the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, examines this critical intersection using Karnataka, India—where renewable sources account for 59% of electricity production—as a case study for Renewable Energy-Dominated (RED) electricity systems.

The research team developed a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) to analyze economic dispatch strategies under varying EV penetration levels, considering both generation costs and the social costs of emissions. Their findings reveal several critical insights:

- When social costs of emissions are incorporated into economic dispatch decisions, renewable energy utilization increases significantly, reducing annual CO2 emissions by approximately 82,460 tonnes

- Even in maximum supply scenarios, increased EV charging demand could lead to annual supply shortages of around 391 MW (4% of unmet demand)

- During minimum supply scenarios, significant deficits of up to 32% of total demand occur during peak months (February to June), threatening the system's RED status

- The annual cumulative electricity supply deficit varies dramatically between scenarios: approximately 10 GW in maximum supply conditions versus 545 GW in minimum supply conditions

"Our research demonstrates that while EV adoption is crucial for decarbonization, it must be carefully balanced with grid capacity planning," said the study's lead author. "Without proper integration strategies, the additional demand from EVs could undermine the stability of renewable energy-dominated systems."

The findings have significant implications for policymakers and utility companies planning for increased EV adoption. The study suggests several pathways for future development:

- Implementation of demand response programs that incentivize off-peak EV charging

- Development of energy storage solutions to balance intermittent renewable energy supply

- Creation of dynamic pricing strategies to optimize EV charging schedules

- Expansion of renewable energy capacity to accommodate growing EV demand

"What makes this study unique is that we've incorporated both generation costs and social costs of emissions in our analysis of a real-world RED electricity system," explained one of the researchers. "This provides a more comprehensive understanding of the true impact of EV charging on both grid stability and environmental outcomes."

As countries accelerate their transition to electric mobility and renewable energy, this research provides critical insights into managing the complex interplay between these two green revolutions, ensuring that the path to net zero remains both economically viable and environmentally beneficial.

Reference

Author: Malolan Sundararaman ^a, Balasubramanian Sambasivam ^b

Title of original paper: The road to net zero in a renewable energy-dominated electricity system: Impact of EV charging and social cost of emission on the optimal economic dispatch

Article link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773153725000301

Journal: Green Energy and Intelligent Transportation

DOI: 10.1016/j.geits.2025.100280

Affiliations:

^a Department of Management Studies, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India

^b Centre for Sustainability, Mahindra University, Hyderabad, India