The role of electric vehicles in hybrid solar-based small energy communities

The widespread adoption of solar technologies necessitates effective integration strategies to manage intermittency, particularly at the residential level. The bi-directional capabilities of electric vehicles via vehicle-to-grid technology can enrich grid assets by stabilising during outages and curbing peak demand. Therefore, this study addresses the limitations of hybrid concentrated solar and photovoltaic systems with thermal energy storage by exploring their integration with electric vehicles, forging a symbiotic link between energy conversion and transportation. An advanced dynamic model developed in MathWorks Simulink is used to examine a tri-generative system combining a concentrated solar power plant, a 20 kWe photovoltaic system, and four electric vehicles to serve ten apartments in Italy. The results reveal that hybridisation extends thermal coverage by 4.15% through heightened organic Rankine cycle unit operation, underscoring its prowess in renewable energy optimisation at the small scale. Lessened grid reliance, by up to −90% during summer, is achieved owing to the battery capacity of the fleet. The vehicles absorb over 27% of annual electrical overproduction to power 9.7% of user demands, ultimately disclosing their effectiveness in mitigating curtailment to the benefit of self-consumption.