Fast Frequency Support in Isolated Distribution Networks by Means of Distributed Control of V2G Electric Vehicles

The growing adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is expected to significantly affect power demand, posing substantial challenges for small isolated power systems with limited generation capacity. Traditional solutions, such as expanding conventional generation, are often economically and environmentally unsustainable. While renewable energy sources represent promising alternatives, their integration requires effective control strategies to ensure grid stability. This paper proposes a fast frequency support control scheme suitable for implementation in low-cost embedded devices to enable EVs with Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capabilities to provide fast frequency support in isolated networks. Considering the computational and communication limits of low-cost hardware, the control scheme is tested in a Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) environment, where the control logic was emulated using a realtime simulator. The physical response of the EV was replicated with a real LiFePO4 battery, interfaced via a power amplifier with a distribution network model executed in real-time. The results demonstrate that a low-cost controller implementing the proposed Fast Frequency Support (FFS) control scheme can effectively allow EVs to provide frequency operating reserve and regulation services, thereby enhancing the hosting capacity of renewable energy sources and EVs in small non-synchronous power systems.