On the Use of Blockchain for the Operation and Management of EV Charging Infrastructures

Abstract

While the transition to fully electrified road mobility is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and pollutant emissions, Electric Vehicles (EV s) still face challenges concerning infrastructure impact, installation costs, and indirect GHG emissions. Recent research has highlighted the potential benefits of optimal EV charging schedules and Vehicle-to-Grid functions in providing flexibility to power grids and global GHG emission reduction. Nevertheless, these solutions are complicated by interoperability and regulatory challenges. Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) have been proposed to tackle these issues, but the lack of standardization in DLT for EV charging architectures may constrain their full potential. This study aims to establish a framework for designing DLTs in EV charging infrastructures, presenting an EV charging reference architecture and examining its characteristics and implications from the DLT perspective. The study emphasizes the impact of multiple and concurrent communication protocols on the implementation of DLTs, suggesting that further standardization must be agreed upon by DLT specialists and EV domain experts.