Integrating renewable energy resources into the smart grid: recent developments in information and communication technologies

Rising energy costs, losses in the present-day electricity grid, risks from nuclear power generation, and global environmental changes are motivating a transformation of the conventional ways of generating electricity. Globally, there is a desire to rely more on renewable energy resources (RERs) for electricity generation. RERs reduce green house gas emissions and may have economic benefits, e.g., through applying demand side management with dynamic pricing so as to shift loads from fossil fuel-based generators to RERs. The electricity grid is presently evolving towards an intelligent grid, the so-called smart grid (SG). One of the major goals of the future SG is to move towards 100% electricity generation from RERs, i.e., towards a 100% renewable grid. However, the disparate, intermittent, and typically widely geographically distributed nature of RERs complicates the integration of RERs into the SG. Moreover, individual RERs have generally lower capacity than conventional fossil-fuel plants, and these RERs are based on a wide spectrum of different technologies. In this article, we give an overview of recent efforts that aim to integrate RERs into the SG. We outline the integration of RERs into the SG along with their supporting communication networks. We also discuss ongoing projects that seek to integrate RERs into the SG around the globe. Finally, we outline future research directions on integrating RERs into the SG

The Microgrid Systems: An Overview in Turkey and The World

Necessity and important of electric energy has been on increase because of development in technology and economy. When compared with renewable energy sources, electric energy obtained from fossil fuels has the biggest share. But demand to renewable energy sources has been increased instead of fossil fuels due to carbon dioxide emissions, risk of being used up over and above high energy cost. Distributed energy sources (wind energy, solar energy, fuel cell, etc.) can be installed to close areas to consumers. So distributed energy sources with microgrid design can be used as cost effective, reliable and efficient. Microgrids are small scale energy network that can provide uninterrupted energy with high power quality to different types small load community and can meet technological preferences of consumers so power quality demand. Microgrid systems in interconnected to distribution grid or islanded mode; obtain coordinated operation of energy sources (micro turbines, fuel cells, photovoltaic, etc), storage devices (flywheels, energy capacitors and batteries) and loads. In this study, potential of microgrid system in Turkey and world, technological development at microgrid systems and usage state of these technologies in Turkey and world were evaluated. It was exhibited that attaching importance to microgrid systems provides increment in usage of renewable energy

Hazards and vulnerability in modern societies – using the example of a large-scale outage in the electricity supply. Summary

In modern, highly technical societies based on the division of labour, the supply of the population with (vital) goods and services is carried out by a highly developed, closely interwoven network of "critical infrastructures". These include information technology and telecommunications, transport and traffic, energy supply and health care. These are highly vulnerable due to their internal complexity and great interdependence. Terrorist attacks, natural disasters or particularly serious accidents have not only in the past decade made it clear what far-reaching consequences the impairment or failure of critical infrastructures can have for the social system as a whole. Due to the almost complete penetration of the living and working environment with electrically operated devices, the consequences of a prolonged and widespread power blackout would add up to a damage situation of special quality. All critical infrastructures would be affected, and a collapse of society as a whole could hardly be prevented. Despite this potential danger and catastrophe, society\u27s risk awareness is only rudimentary