Method and apparatus for charging a battery using local power grid topology information

A computing device comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor configured for:
• receiving, over a communication network, charging availability information indicating current and expected charging operating status respectively for a plurality of charging apparatuses configured to provide a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) using an electric vehicle (EV) fleet, wherein the plurality of charging apparatuses is located within a vehicle depot fed by a microgrid;
• determining a first power charging schedule for charging a first EV of the EV fleet based on transactive energy information and using hierarchical aggregation for determining availability of the VPP, wherein:
• the transactive energy information is determined based on charging availability information and alternative power resource information indicating availability and pricing of electric power for supply to a given microgrid from an alternative power resource;
• and
• the hierarchical aggregation is a logical construct representing a sum of decisions;
• and
• transmitting, over the communication network, a charging instruction signal to a first charging apparatus of the plurality of charging apparatuses for charging the first EV of the EV fleet mobile energy storage and power consumption device.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to be implemented on at least one computing device including at least one processor, the instructions when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

• receiving, over a communication network, charging availability information indicating current and expected charging operating status respectively for a plurality of charging apparatuses configured to provide a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) using an electric vehicle (EV) fleet, wherein the plurality of charging apparatuses is located within a vehicle depot fed by a microgrid;
• determining a first power charging schedule for charging a first EV of the EV fleet based on transactive energy information and using hierarchical aggregation for determining availability of the VPP, wherein:
• the transactive energy information is determined based on charging availability information and alternative power resource information indicating availability and pricing of electric power for supply to a given microgrid from an alternative power resource;
• and
• the hierarchical aggregation is a logical construct representing a sum of decisions;
• and
• transmitting, over the communication network, a charging instruction signal to a first charging apparatus of the plurality of charging apparatuses for charging the first EV of the EV fleet.