This paper presents a holistic framework for electric vehicles integration in electric power systems together with their charging management and control methodologies that allow minimizing the negative impacts in the grid of the charging process and maximize the benefits that charging controllability may bring to their owners, energy retailers and system operators. The performance of these management and control methods will be assessed through steady state computational simulations and then validated in a microgrid laboratory environment.

The Smart Grid vision along with the future deployment of Electric Vehicles presents numerous challenges in terms of grid infrastructure, communication, and control. In this context, Advanced Metering Infrastructure solutions are envisioned to be the active management link between utilities and consumers. This paper presents a survey of potential AMI functionalities particularly developed to foster the large scale deployment of EV in Smart Grids. For this accomplishment, the concepts of Automated Meter Reading, Automatic Meter Management and Smart Metering are revisited. Furthermore, different EV charging approaches are outlined and included in the functionalities under the Vehicle-To-Grid framework. Finally, AMI use cases are described under the Vehicle-to-Home perspective.

a b s t r a c tThe consolidation of smart grids is inevitably related with the development and actual implementation of different functionalities envisioned for future electric grids. This paper presents the major implementations of smart grid projects in Portugal, which resulted from a close collaboration between academia and industry. An overview of the entire development process is presented culminating with the real implementation of the developed concepts. The architectures and functional models are presented as the initial step in defining the management and control functionalities for future smart distribution networks. The intermediate step consists in validating the advances introduced by smart grids. Simulation tools are emphasized considering both electrical and communications aspects. Finally, a laboratory infrastructure implemented to be used as a real test bed and a pilot deployed in a large city are presented in the end. The associated learning has provided relevant information for future developments.