Abstract

This research explores the development and integration of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system and a vehicle-to-home (V2H) backup power system at the Future Building Laboratory (FBL) of Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec. The study addresses the challenges of rural electrification, proposing renewable energy systems as sustainable and eco-friendly solutions for off-grid applications. A modified electrical power system is designed for the FBL, incorporating critical loads, a subpanel, manual transfer switches, grid-forming and grid-following converters, battery storage, and an electric vehicle with a vehicle-to-home inverter.
The system's performance is analyzed through simulation and experimental testing. Sunny Island (grid-forming/battery charger) and Sunny Boy (grid-following) were simulated in both standalone and grid-connected scenarios, with control strategies ensuring seamless operation in grid-forming and grid-following modes. Experimental results validate the simulations, demonstrating consistent performance of the converters under different operating conditions, including parallel operation.
The research also explores vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) systems, highlighting the capability of EVs to serve as reliable emergency backup power sources. The experimental results demonstrate that integrating V2H technology with renewable energy systems enhances the overall resiliency and flexibility of decentralized power systems. Moreover, this EV to-home integration reduces reliance on traditional backup energy sources, thereby enhancing sustainability.
Thus, this study provides a comprehensive framework for integrating solar PV power and EV technologies into decentralized power systems, demonstrating their potential to create scalable, reliable, and environmentally sustainable solutions for rural and remote electrification needs.