Configuration and system operation for battery swapping stations in Beijing

To enhance the energy saving, emission reduction, and economic feasibility of battery swapping stations (BSSs), this paper develops a BSS configuration and operation model with three charging strategies for Beijing. The model dynamically and holistically analyzes the configuration of chargers, swappers, and reserve batteries, as well as the different annual battery rental fees of BSSs to satisfy the battery swapping demand of users and enhance the profitability of BSSs. The simulation results show that the valley charging strategy can achieve the lowest peak-valley grid load difference (reducing the peak-valley load difference by 156.02 MW) and the greatest emission reductions (2,683,078.49 tons). However, higher investments in reserve batteries and chargers are required to enable service of all demands through valley charging. Based on the current technology, policy, and BSS plan, the BSSs cannot be profitable regardless of their charging strategies. The battery costs and the battery swapping price are the key factors that influence the life-cycle net income of BSSs. Business model innovation, such as charging taxi companies an annual battery rental fee (in the range of 10,300 to 12,160 yuan per battery), can help improve the financial feasibility of the BSSs. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.