Integrating electric vehicles into smart grid infrastructures a simulation-based approach that became reality

The development of software that controls real life processes can be highly difficult and error prone. In the case that the destination test-bed does not fully exist, the situation becomes significantly more challenging. We developed a control software for charging processes of an electric vehicle fleet in a smart grid architecture. To accelerate the development and to ease the integration process, we used an agent-based approach and embedded the optimization software within a simulation environment. Later we enhanced this simulation environment to a consultant tool which can be used to assess the impact of structural extensions. In this paper we present both, the optimization mechanism as well as the simulation environment.