A Design of Sustainable Energy Laboratory

© 2011 by ASEESustainable energy, including solar power, wind power, and geothermal power, is very attractive since the utilization of sustainable resources can significantly decrease the emission and protect our environment. Also, the use of such energy can enhance the national energy security and reduce the dependence on the imported fossil fuel. Till now, several energy-related courses, such as Fuel Cells, Sustainable Energy, and Hybrid Vehicles, have been offered at the University of Bridgeport. In order to have hands-on experience, a laboratory is necessary for our engineering students with their interest in the sustainable energy as well as smart grid. A course, Sustainable Energy Laboratory, was proposed by the school’s curriculum committed and it is offered in the Spring semester, 2011. In this course, a series of experiments are designed on the operating and testing of solar panels, wind turbine, fuel cell. Moreover, experiments on power electronics and data acquisition are developed to optimize the utilization of different energy sources. Finally, simulation on smart grid power system and hybrid power system will help the students understand the challenges in the use of sustainable energy resources

Techno-economic Assessment of a Hybrid Off-grid DC System for Combined Heat and Power Generation in Remote Islands

Hybrid renewable energy systems that combine heat and electricity generation is an achievable option for remote areas where grid is uneconomical to extend. In this study, a renewable-based system was designed to satisfy the electrical and thermal demands of a remote household in an off-grid Greek island. A hybrid DC system consisted of a combination of photovoltaic modules, wind turbine, electrolyzer-hydrogen tank, fuel cell and batteries were analysed using HOMER Pro software. Based on the optimal obtained system, it is found that such a system can satisfy both electrical and thermal load demand throughout the year in a reliable manner

Modeling and Control for Smart Grid Integration of Solar/Wind Energy Conversion System

Performance optimization, system reliability and operational efficiency are key characteristics of smart grid systems. In this paper a novel model of smart grid-connected PV/WT hybrid system is developed. It comprises photovoltaic array, wind turbine, asynchronous (induction) generator, controller and converters. The model is implemented using MATLAB/SIMULINK software package. Perturb and observe (P&O) algorithm is used for maximizing the generated power based on maximum power point tracker (MPPT) implementation. The dynamic behavior of the proposed model is examined under different operating conditions. Solar irradiance, temperature and wind speed data is gathered from a grid connected, 28.8kW solar power system located in central Manchester. Real-time measured parameters are used as inputs for the developed system. The proposed model and its control strategy offer a proper tool for smart grid performance optimization

Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for heating: A review

The debate on low-carbon heat in Europe has become focused on a narrow range of technological options and has largely neglected hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, despite these receiving strong support towards commercialisation in Asia. This review examines the potential benefits of these technologies across different markets, particularly the current state of development and performance of fuel cell micro-CHP. Fuel cells offer some important benefits over other low-carbon heating technologies, and steady cost reductions through innovation are bringing fuel cells close to commercialisation in several countries. Moreover, fuel cells offer wider energy system benefits for high-latitude countries with peak electricity demands in winter. Hydrogen is a zero-carbon alternative to natural gas, which could be particularly valuable for those countries with extensive natural gas distribution networks, but many national energy system models examine neither hydrogen nor fuel cells for heating. There is a need to include hydrogen and fuel cell heating technologies in future scenario analyses, and for policymakers to take into account the full value of the potential contribution of hydrogen and fuel cells to low-carbon energy systems

Coordination Control for Grid Connected Photovoltaic and Fuel Cell system

ABSTRACT: Power system plays important role for the generation of power from conventional sources, transmutation and distribution power at different consumer applications it will faces a so many problems. This can be overcome to implement the micro grid concept. The micro grid concept introduces the power is generated from the renewable energy sources like P.V Wind, Fuel cell, Micro Turbine etc will give signifying moment in near future. These power generating stations interconnected to form a micro grid system. IN this paper power generated from P.V and Fuel Cell (PEM). Here Both are the DC power generating stations for the purpose of power generating from the P.V in night time, rain session and cloud time face difficulties. this can be overcome to power is generating by using fuel cell and without any interruption of energy supplies to load and this system can interconnected to the utility grid and coordinately between these two system by using P-Q control theory in bidirectional converter system. This concept to reduces multiple reserve conversions and it will consists of both A.C and D.C networks connected to distribution generation through multi-bidirectional converters and to maintain stable operation of system by using proposed coordination schemes in the MATLAB simulink environment. KEYWORDS: micro grid, grid-tied mode, coordination control operations, PV system, Fuel Cell power generation. I.INTRODUCTION The ever increasing energy consumption, the soaring cost and the exhaustible nature of fossil fuel, and the worsening global environment have created increased interest in green [renewable based energy sources] power generation systems. Wind and solar power generation are two of the most promising renewable power generation technologies. The growth of wind and photovoltaic (PV) power generation systems has exceeded the most optimistic estimation. Nevertheless, because different alternative energy sources can complement each other to some extent, multisource hybrid alternative energy systems (with proper control) have great potential to provide higher quality and more reliable power to customers than a system based on a single resource. Because of this feature, hybrid energy systems have caught worldwide research attention A hybrid scheme consists of wind PV[3] array and fuel cell with power electronic convertors and power balancing controls are proposed in this paper for the purpose of reduces the reversible covert ions smooth power variation between sources and maintain stable operation in the system. The battery bank, which is charged during the daytime, will supply the inverter during the night to provide fuel cell necessary. when solar irradiation reaches its peak, the proposed scheme with appropriate choice of the sizes of the PV array and fuel cel

Hybrid hydrogen-battery systems for renewable off-grid telecom power

Off-grid hybrid systems, based on the integration of hydrogen technologies (electrolysers, hydrogen stores and fuel cells) with battery and wind/solar power technologies, are proposed for satisfying the continuous power demands of telecom remote base stations. A model was developed to investigate the preferred role for electrolytic hydrogen within a hybrid system; the analysis focused on powering a 1 kW telecom load in three locations of distinct wind and solar resource availability. When compared with otherwise equivalent off-grid renewable energy systems employing only battery energy storage, the results show that the integration of a 1 kW fuel cell and a 1.6 kW electrolyser at each location is sufficient, in combination with a hydrogen storage capacity of between 13 and 31 kg, to reduce the required battery capacity by 54–77%, to increase the minimum state-of-charge from 37 to 55% to >81.5% year-round despite considerable seasonal variation in supply, and to reduce the amount of wasted renewable power by 55–79%. For the growing telecom sector, the proposed hybrid system provides a ‘green’ solution, which is preferable to shipping hydrogen or diesel to remote base stations

Optimization Techniques of Islanded Hybrid Microgrid System

The utilization of energy is increasing day by day, it is an unavoidable truth. This large demand for energy cannot be satisfied by the conventional power sources alone. Sustainable power sources, for example, solar and wind turbine-based energy system are the most effective and both economically and environmentally feasible. The Hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) is a recent concept in the field of sustainable development which joins at least two renewable power sources like wind turbine, solar module and other inexhaustible sources such as ocean energy, fuel cell etc. This chapter starts with an audit by addressing the possible difficulties that can occur while a solar power plant and the wind farm will be integrated together to supply power to the main grid or in a islanded manner. This chapter gives an overview of the optimization techniques that can improve the integration of the hybrid systems to the grid as well as with the islanded load. This review also sheds significant light on the techniques to improve the equality of a grid integrated solar-wind hybrid energy system. It also includes the critical findings on the strategies that are necessary to build an efficient grid-connected and islanded solar-wind hybrid energy system

Measurement and Analysis of Power in Hybrid System

Application with renewable energy  sources  such   as solar cell array, wind turbines, or fuel cells have increased significantly during the past decade. To obtain the clean energy, we are using the hybrid solar-wind power generation. Consumers prefer quality power from suppliers. The quality of power can be measured by using parameters such as voltage sag, harmonic and power factor.   To   obtain   quality   power   we   have different topologies. In our paper we present a new possible topology which improves power quality. This paper presents modeling analysis and design of a pulse width modulation voltage source inverter (PWM-VSI) to be connected between sources, which supplies energy from a hybrid solar wind energy system to the ac grid. The objective of this paper is to show that, with an adequate control, the converter not only can transfer the dc from hybrid solar wind energy system, but also can improve the power factor and quality power of electrical system. Whenever a disturbance occurs on load side, this disturbance can be minimized using open loop and closed loop control systems

Study on System Topologies for Enhancing Potential of Fuel Cell System

Fuel cell is most promising power source for hybrid operation with conventional and non-conventional energy source. This is due to its operating temperature, power matching and remote application. The fuel cell based distributed generator (DG) source can be operated in combined with wind turbine, photovoltaic generation system, gas turbine and many more. The hybrid operation of fuel cell with conventional DG source may increase the reliability, power quality and system stability. This paper presents the review on hybrid operation of fuel cell with other conventional DG system in utility interconnected mode. In this, it is addressed that, the fuel cell and its hybrid operation with other power generation application are given. Also the various controlling techniques can be used for its optimum operation which are also mentione

Modeling, Control and Power Management Strategy of a Grid connected Hybrid Energy System

This paper presents the detailed modeling of various components of a grid connected hybrid energy system (HES) consisting of a photovoltaic (PV) system, a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), an electrolyzer and a hydrogen storage tank with a power flow controller. Also, a valve controlled by the proposed controller decides how much amount of fuel is consumed by fuel cell according to the load demand. In this paper fuel cell is used instead of battery bank because fuel cell is free from pollution. The control and power management strategies are also developed. When the PV power is sufficient then it can fulfill the load demand as well as feeds the extra power to the electrolyzer. By using the electrolyzer, the hydrogen is generated from the water and stored in storage tank and this hydrogen act as a fuel to SOFC. If the availability of the power from the PV system cannot fulfill the load demand, then the fuel cell fulfills the required load demand. The SOFC takes required amount of hydrogen as fuel, which is controlled by the PID controller through a valve. Effectiveness of this technology is verified by the help of computer simulations in MATLAB/SIMULINK environment under various loading conditions and promising results are obtained