Thesis Work - Energy management using model predictive control for bi-directional charging of EV:s i Göteborg

Thesis Worker at Volvo Cars

Welcome to explore the world of Volvo Cars by writing your thesis with us! As a thesis worker in our organization you are supported by a supervisor who follows you during your project. All thesis projects are arranged in business critical areas and therefore you will be able to contribute to our company purpose – providing freedom to move in a safe, sustainable and personal way – from day one! 

Background
In 2020 Volvo Cars released its first fully electric vehicle, the XC40 Recharge, with ambitions to electrify its entire line-up by 2030. Electrification of the vehicle and the entire automotive business is at the core of Volvo Cars strategy and one highly prioritized area within the Company. While this transition is in line with our core value of sustainability, we recognize electric vehicles are only part of the equation when it comes to sustainable mobility. As such, we wish to offer our customers a convenient way to optimize the flow of energy in their homes, thereby reducing their carbon footprint and their electricity bill. 

Join us as Master thesis student within the External Energy Systems team. We are responsible for the development of competitive solutions outside of the vehicle, ranging from charging cables and wall boxes to solar cells, energy management and energy storage systems.

The External Energy Systems team works closely with many other parts of the organization. Charging and Battery teams are naturally very close in everyday work. These teams are working on AC- and DC-charging, which is in current projects and technologies like V2X, smart charging, plug and charge and wireless charging are just around the corner. Teams working on app and cloud functionalities are also important collaborators as we pursue this together.

The external energy system area is growing and will play a more important role for Volvo Cars going forward. The ambition is that our customers shall have the opportunity to charge their vehicles in a sustainable and safe way, and the possibility to integrate with smart energy management systems.

Optimized uni- and bi-directional charging of electric vehicles (EVs) can benefit the users and the electric grid. It leads to more efficient use of the grid and promotes the integration of renewable energy sources. Energy scheduling using model predictive control (MPC) has been explored in the literature. MPC has been proven as an efficient control strategy for energy management. MPC could be used for online energy management, where the decisions at any instant are made using the current state of the system and the updated forecasts at that time. 

Description
This work aims to develop an MPC-based energy management model for online control of an EV’s uni- and bi-directional charging. The EV owner is a prosumer with a residential PV system that implements the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and vehicle-to-home (V2H). The objective of the model is to reduce the energy cost of the user by controlling the charging and applying energy arbitrage. Different energy tariffs, forecasted PV production, and forecasted electricity demand are used as inputs to the model. The energy management model shall be verified by simulating the model and comparing the results with rule-based algorithms. Also, different charging behaviors of the user shall be considered.

Scope
•    Literature review on the application of MPC for EV energy management
•    MPC-based model development
•    Creating the required data set for simulation and testing
•    Simulation and validation of the model
•    Reporting

Your contribution is our future
•    Education: Master’s in electrical engineering
•    Knowledge about energy systems
•    Strong skills in control systems and optimization methods
•    Proficient in MATLAB or python

Duration
•    The work will start in January 2023 
•    The duration for this thesis work is 20 weeks.
•    30 ECTS (academic credits) if in agreement with your Thesis Advisor in University
•    This thesis is to be conducted by 1 or 2 students working in pair.

Be part of the change – apply today!

Please note that due to GDPR, applications via email will not be accepted.

Please apply as soon as possible but no later than 2022-11-15.

If you have any questions regarding the position, you are welcome to contact Jacob Edvinsson, Manager Architects and External Energy Systems, +46-72-888 94 30 or by e-mail to jacob.edvinsson@volvocars.com.

We are Volvo Cars 
Volvo Cars is a company on a mission to bring traditional car manufacturing into a connected, sustainable and smart future. Since 1927, we've been known for our commitment to safety and for creating innovative cars that make life less complicated. In 2010, we decided to radically redefine our business, resulting in a totally new generation of cars and technology, as well as steady growth and record sales - and we're only getting started. By 2025, we aim to have yearly sales of 1.2 million cars, 50% of which will be electric vehicles and sold directly to customers through digital channels. We also intend to strengthen our position as a modern, progressive employer committed to diversity and gender and racial equality. We believe in the power of people. Join us and be part of Volvo Cars' transformation.