Evaluating clustering algorithms with integrated electric vehicle chargers for demand-side management

Abstract

The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) and their effects on power grids pose several challenges for distribution operators. These challenges are due to uncertain and difficult-to-predict loads. Every electric vehicle charger (EVC) has its specific pattern. This challenge can be addressed by clustering methods to determine EVC energy consumption clusters. Demand side management (DSM) is an effective solution to manage the incoming load of EVs and the large number of EVCs. Considering the challenges of peak consumptions and valleys, the adoption of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology requires mastering load clusters to develop energy management systems for distributors. This work used clustering algorithms (K-means, DBSCAN, C-means, BIRCH, Mean-Shift, OPTICS) to identify load curve patterns, and for performance evaluation of algorithms, it worked on metrics like the Silhouette coefficient, Calinski-Harabasz index (CHI), and Davies-Bouldin index (DBI) to evaluate results. C-means achieves the best overall clustering performance, evidenced by the highest Silhouette coefficient (0.30) and a strong Calinski-Harabasz score (543). Mean-Shift excels in the Davies-Bouldin Index (1.13) but underperforms on other metrics. BIRCH provides a balanced approach, delivering moderate results across evaluated metrics.