ANALYSIS OF THE INSTALLATION OF SMART CONCENTRATORS IN EXTENSIVE LOW VOLTAGE NETWORKS CONSIDERING THE GROWTH IN THE INSERTION OF HOME CHARGERS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES
In recent years, several countries have encouraged the use of sustainable technologies, such as photovoltaic systems and electric vehicles, to promote the transition to a low-carbon economy. While the installation of photovoltaic systems has grown steadily in urban areas, the installation of chargers for residential electric vehicles is still in the growth phase. The introduction of these new sustainable technologies brings challenges for planners and operators of low-voltage distribution networks, including increased demand, overloading of lines, and impact on power quality. To address these challenges, utilities have been implementing advanced metering structures with data concentrators in extensive distribution networks, allowing the collection of information from end users and the formation of new market structures. However, the allocation of smart concentrators can become a complex problem with the constant change in the topology of the electrical grids, especially with the insertion of new demands, such as electric vehicles. This paper addresses the concentrator allocation problem, showing how the growth of residential electric vehicle chargers in extensive low-voltage networks can affect the number of smart concentrators required. To analyze the problem, a mathematical model was formulated considering the use of wireless and PLC smart concentrators. . In this sense, the study developed can help in the future planning of the installation of intelligent concentrators, avoiding oversizing or the need to require additional devices and, consequently, minimizing their installation costs.