Abstract

The transition from conventional vehicles to electric vehicles (EV) represents an important development in the field of sustainable transportation. To prevent concerns about battery drain, the use of EVs requires the establishment of sufficient charging stations (CS) to recharge vehicle batteries. In Iraq, the infrastructure of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) is still limited, which reduces the reliance and reliability of EVs. This study assessed the economic efficiency and feasibility of optimizing hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) for EVCS in three cities of Iraq addressing the growing demand for renewable energy due to concerns regarding fossil fuel depletion, environmental sustainability, and escalating conventional energy expenses. Hybrid Optimization Model for Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) program was used considering weather data, load profiles, and equipment specifications. The results indicated that the system with a capacity of 300 kW of photovoltaic (PV), 100 kW of generator (GEN), and 78 units of batteries is found to be the optimal system in all three cities, with the lowest cost of energy (COE) around 0.025 $/kw. The renewable energy fractions of the optimal system in Mosul, Baghdad, and Basrah are 53%, 52.7%, and 52.7%, respectively. This setup achieves annual energy production of 704351 kWh from PV and 509681 kWh from GEN. This arrangement keeps the battery storage at a high state of charge (SoC), guaranteeing system stability and prolonging the battery's life. The system's capacity to reliably fulfil load requirements with less dependence on the DG. These results provide valuable insights into the deployment of HRES to achieve a more sustainable environment.