On the value of orderly electric vehicle charging in carbon emission reduction

Assistant Professor, New York University Shanghai 

Global Network Assistant Professor, New York University 

In this presentation, we developed a bi-level modeling framework to quantify the value of orderly electric vehicle (EV) charging for carbon reduction. The upper-level model optimizes each EV driver’s charging schedule to minimize total carbon emissions without disrupting their travel plans, and the lower-level model determines the power dispatch plan that meets demand at minimal cost.

Based on real-world operation data obtained from 3,777 battery EVs (BEVs) in Shanghai over 11 months and local power plant data, the total carbon emissions generated by BEVs in Shanghai is calculated as 1,176,637 tons over this period, averaging 73 gCO2/km per BEV. By administering charging control to all BEVs in Shanghai, the above emission could be curtailed by 39%. Sensitivity analyses uncover that augmenting battery capacity and integrating wind power can significantly enhance emission reductions, while increasing the flexibility of the power plant might diminish the effectiveness of orderly EV charging.

Dr. Zhibin Chen is an Assistant Professor at New York University Shanghai and Global Network Assistant Professor at New York University. Prior to this appointment, he was a research fellow in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Dr. Chen received his PhD in transportation engineering from the University of Florida in 2017. His research interests include electric vehicle behavior, policy, and charging infrastructure, as well as the design of innovative and sustainable transportation systems. His research has been published in a series of transportation journals including Transportation Science, Transportation Research Part B/C/D/E, and IEEE ITS. He was the recipient of the Stella Dafermos Best Paper Award and the Ryuichi Kitamura Paper Award at the 95th TRB Annual Meeting.