3. Plug-in Electric Vehicles Management in Smart Distribution Systems

The advent of smart grids brings a set of new concepts not usually employed in current power systems. Plug-in electric vehicles fit this concept, since it is a low carbon emission device. However, an important characteristic of plug-in vehicles lies on the fact that it may become a source of energy during emergency conditions. Another aspect that may not be overlooked is the fact that the advantage of low carbon emission may be faded by the fact that charging these vehicles may deteriorate the network operating conditions. In this sense, a recharging policy must be addressed, so the system losses and voltage profile are adequately managed. This chapter deals with these topics, so the advent of plug-in electric vehicles may be understood as an important component of future smart grids.