Comparative Analysis of Renewable Energy Based EV Charging Stations for Different Locations in Bangladesh

The market for electric vehicles (EVs) in Bangladesh consists mainly of electric bicycles, e-rickshaws and hybrid vehicles. The increased popularity of electric vehicles is leading to a greater pressure on the grid power supply due to their significant energy demand. Alternative energy sources that could be readily accessible and environmentally compatible need to be explored, given the needs of growing power demand in addition to environmental concerns and energy shortages. This study presents the techno-economic optimization of ecofriendly stand-alone solar-wind based electric vehicle charging stations in three different locations (Chattogram, Kuakata and Rangpur) in Bangladesh. For the comparison purpose, diesel generator and renewables based hybrid energy systems are also considered to find the environmental impact over renewable systems. A total of four off-grid configurations are investigated to find the best solution for EVs covering all aspects of technology, economy and environment. The results show that in terms of economy indicating Net Present Cost (NPC) and Cost of Energy (COE), the hybrid system PV-wind-diesel-battery is the optimal energy system for Chattogram and Kuakata. On the other hand, PV-diesel-battery shows the optimal solution for Rangpur. However, the systems with diesel generator emit a massive amount of carbon dioxide which is a major reason for environmental pollution. With regard to the size of the system components, as well as the associated NPC, COE, renewable fractions and carbon emissions, the overall impact on different locations is also different.