Enabling solar electricity with electric vehicles smart charging

• An energy system with significant electric mobility and solar electricity is modelled.
• The extent to which smart charging of electric vehicles allows photovoltaics integration is quantified.
• A small electric vehicle market share is needed to avoid excess of energy.
• Certain electric vehicles and photovoltaics combinations allow 100% renewable electricity supply.
• Carbon dioxide reduction targets can only be achieved with significant electric vehicles penetration.

It has been shown that a long term sustainable energy system based on a high penetration of solar photovoltaics requires massive deployment of day charging electric vehicles to make use of the excess solar electricity generation at sun peak hours. In this paper the synergy between these technologies is further explored, determining the minimum penetration levels that allow fulfilling the climate and energy targets. Simulations for a case study of Portugal in 2050 using an electric vehicles smart charging approach show that a 100% renewable energy based electricity supply is possible with certain photovoltaics and electric vehicles combinations and that the environmental targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are just reachable with significant electric vehicles market share. The notion that vehicle charging will have to take place during working hours to maximize petroleum displacement is reinforced.