Abstract

Battery Swapping Stations can significantly reduce electric vehicle refuelling time, but their integration with renewable energy sources requires advanced operational strategies to manage price variability and grid constraints. This study investigates the optimal operation of a Battery Swapping Station integrated with a photovoltaic power plant, aiming to improve economic performance and energy management efficiency. A mixed-integer linear programming optimization model is developed to simulate year-long operations with 15-minute resolution, accounting for battery state-of-charge constraints, swap demand, electricity prices, and photovoltaic generation. A real-world case study of a Charging Point Operator in northern Italy is used for validation. Results show that optimized scheduling shifts battery charging to low-price periods, increases photovoltaic self-consumption, and reduces total energy costs by approximately 56% compared to a non-optimized baseline. The proposed framework provides a novel, practical tool for integrating BSSs with renewable energy, supporting cost-effective and sustainable deployment.