Optimizing Charging Infrastructure for Truck Depots: Cost-Minimal System for Truck Charging Combined with PV and Battery Storage Systems

With the increasing electrification of trucks, an intelligent charging infrastructure is becoming relevant for companies to reduce energy costs or to enable the operation of an electric truck fleet within the given grid connection capacity. We model a system that combines electric truck charging with photovoltaic generation and a battery storage system and determine the cost-optimal infrastructure configuration. A case study of a food logistics center reveals that load management generally reduces peak load and system cost. The stationary battery storage system is profitable in a regional distribution transport setting, whereas load management without additional battery storage is cost-efficient in an urban distribution transport setting. We identify electricity costs, network charges, and charging station costs as primary cost components of the system and identify the highest cost saving potential in the peak load-depending network charges.