Plenz, Maik

Owing to the immense climate changes recently, the city of Hamburg has decided to allow the purchase of only emission-free buses for public transportation. Meanwhile, Hamburg focuses on the implementation of electric buses. For this purpose, the two public transportation companies in Hamburg which are the Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN), and the Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein GmbH (VHH) decided to build new charging infrastructure for electric bus depots. In addition, they started by electrifying their existing stations. This study proposes an optimal method for electrifying bus depots by modularizing the subsystems in electrical power systems. An approach that allows the study of different configurations of power system components. Analyzing these configurations results in the conclusion of the most technically feasible configuration, achieving the lowest cost. Furthermore, the model objectives include reducing the required area, which is a challenging criterion for bus depots in many cities. Mixed-Integer Quadratic Programming (MIQP) is used to generate this combination based on predefined constraints that must satisfy all implemented constraints of the system.

One of the crucial steps for a successful integration of electric bus fleets into the existing electric power systems is the active and intelligent usage of their flexibility. This is important not only for reducing the eventual negative effects on the power grid but also for reducing energy and infrastructure costs. The first step in the optimal usage of flexibility is its quantification, which al-lows the maximum provision of flexibility without any negative effects for the fleet operation. This paper explores the available flexibility of large‐scale electric bus fleets with a concept of centralized and unidirectional depot charging. An assessment of available positive and negative flexibility was conducted based on the data from two real bus depots in the city of Hamburg, Germany. The analysis shows the biggest flexibility potential was in the period from 16:00 h to 24:00 h, and the smallest one was in the periods from 08:00 h to 16:00 h, as well as from 02:00 h to 08:00 h. The paper also gives an overview of the possible markets for flexibility commercialization in Germany, which can provide an additional economic benefit for the fleet operators. A further analysis of the impact of parameters such as the timeline (working day or weekend), charging concept, ambient temperature, and electrical preconditioning provides an additional understanding of available flexibility.