Optimising Energy Systems in Smart Urban Areas

In this chapter, the urban structure will be defined with zero or almost zero energy consumption, followed by pollution parameters. Energy systems are designed as networks of energy-intensive local hubs with multiple sources of hybrid energies, where different energy flows are collected on the same busbar and can be accumulated, delivered, or transformed as needed into the intelligent urban area. For analysis of the purpose function of our energy system, a micro-network of renewable energy sources (RES) is defined by penalization and limitations. By using fuzzy logic, a set of permissible solutions of this purpose function is accepted, and the type of daily electricity consumption diagrams is defined when applying cluster analysis. A self-organising neural network and then a Kohonen network were used. The experiment is to justify the application of new procedures of mathematical and informatics-oriented methods and optimisation procedures, with an outlined methodology for the design of smart areas and buildings with near zero to zero energy power consumption

Feasibility study of fuel cell residential energy stations

Thesis (S.M.M.O.T.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, Management of Technology Program, 2003.Includes bibliographical references.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Electricity provisioning has historically satisfied demand by centralized generation and pervasive distribution through an extensive transmission and distribution network. Once demand increases beyond a fixed threshold, however, the capacity of the generation, transmission and distribution can become crippled and the mal-effects of periodic brownouts and skyrocketing prices may ripple through the nationwide grid system. The traditional response to this constraint is to build new facilities. However, an alternative approach getting increased attention is to satisfy local demands by incrementally investing in distributed generation. Distributed generation facilities can be strategically sited to deliver combined heat and power (CHP) near the source of consumption at unprecedented efficiencies. Presently the distributed generation market remains largely focused on industrial and commercial peak-shaving and emergency back-up applications. The residential market is a frontier yet to be tackled. Residential electricity tariffs, in contrast, are the highest among all sectors and household users are responsible for a large proportion of the peak demand and usage growth. For residential self-generation needs, fuel cell technology is foreseen to be an ideal solution stemming from its low noise, negligible pollution and high efficiency operation. This thesis will assess the market viability of fuel cell technologies for residential distributed generation application. More specifically, the study will consider single household (5 kW) proton exchange membrane fuel cells versus hybrid solid oxide fuel cell with integrated gas turbine (10 kW) technologies for the household end-use and determine the competitiveness and sustainability of each choice.by David Tsay.S.M.M.O.T

UC Berkeley's Cory Hall: Evaluation of Challenges and Potential Applications of Building-to-Grid Implementation

From September 2009 through June 2010, a team of researchers developed, installed, and tested instrumentation on the energy flows in Cory Hall on the UC Berkeley campus to create a Building-to-Grid testbed. The UC Berkeley team was headed by Professor David Culler, and assisted by members from EnerNex, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California State University Sacramento, and the California Institute for Energy & Environment. While the Berkeley team mapped the load tree of the building, EnerNex researched types of meters, submeters, monitors, and sensors to be used (Task 1). Next the UC Berkeley team analyzed building needs and designed the network of metering components and data storage/visualization software (Task 2). After meeting with vendors in January, the UCB team procured and installed the components starting in late March (Task 3). Next, the UCB team tested and demonstrated the system (Task 4). Meanwhile, the CSUS team documented the methodology and steps necessary to implement a testbed (Task 5) and Harold Galicer developed a roadmap for the CSUS Smart Grid Center with results from the testbed (Task 5a) and evaluated the Cory Hall implementation process (Task 5b). The CSUS team also worked with local utilities to develop an approach to the energy information communication link between buildings and the utility (Task 6). The UC Berkeley team then prepared a roadmap to outline necessary technology development for Building-to-Grid, and presented the results of the project in early July (Task 7). Finally, CIEE evaluated the implementation, noting challenges and potential applications of Building-to-Grid (Task 8). These deliverables are available at the i4Energy site: http://i4energy.org/

Distributed generation power systems in wastewater management

The article concerns the energy security of a wastewater treatment process caused by unforeseen situations related to the risk of electrical power outages. In this case, renewable energy sources based on distributed generation power systems can solve this problem in each wastewater treatment plant. The article highlights e related challenges and proposes the direction of solutions in this regard based on Czech conditions. The first part of the paper deals with the consequences of long-term outage of wastewater treatment plants on the population and the environment. There are several solutions presented for blackout conditions, and model calculations are made based on data from a Czech wastewater treatment plant. Diesel engine-generators, biogas as a cogeneration source of heat and electricity, solar panels with storage systems and combined biogas and solar systems were considered as approaches to provide energy autonomy during a blackout in a wastewater treatment plant. Special attention was paid to a combination of CHP units with solar panels and batteries. The results were evaluated for three different locations for this combination. It was concluded that biogas combustion in the CHP unit was the most profitable option, allowing the production of electricity independently of the grid for its own consumption and possibly for other operations. The last part of the paper deals with the transition to island operation, which must occur during a blackout. This transition is more difficult for both solar panels and cogeneration units if they were to supply electricity to the grid before a blackout. The transition to energy island operation could be ensured by frequency relay and processor devices to control the circuit breaker. Then, to maintain island operation, it would be necessary to have an automatic load shedding/application system.Web of Science1517art. no. 628

Application of Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks to Achieve Intelligent Microgrids: A Promising Approach towards a Global Smart Grid Deployment

Smart Grids (SGs) constitute the evolution of the traditional electrical grid towards a new paradigm, which should increase the reliability, the security and, at the same time, reduce the costs of energy generation, distribution and consumption. Electrical microgrids (MGs) can be considered the first stage of this evolution of the grid, because of the intelligent management techniques that must be applied to assure their correct operation. To accomplish this task, sensors and actuators will be necessary, along with wireless communication technologies to transmit the measured data and the command messages. Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (WSANs) are therefore a promising solution to achieve an intelligent management of MGs and, by extension, the SG. In this frame, this paper surveys several aspects concerning the application of WSANs to manage MGs and the electrical grid, as well as the communication protocols that could be applied. The main concerns regarding the SG deployment are also presented, including future scenarios where the interoperability of different generation technologies must be assured

Potential for ORC application in the Portuguese manufacturing industry

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, perfil Gestão e Sistemas AmbientaisThe European Directive on Energy Efficiency (Directive 2012/27/EU) entered into force in 2012 to translate the EU ―20-20-20‖ Efficiency Target into binding legislation. Each Member State was obligated to set an indicative national energy efficiency target and to achieve a certain amount of final energy savings by 2016. The second Portuguese National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency (PNAEE 2016) defines a target of 8.2% for savings on final energy consumption by 2016. Savings in Industry account for 24% of the target, but less than half of it was executed through the former Plan (PNAEE 2008-2015), by the end of 2010. Worthwhile energy saving opportunities remains such as the recovery of the great amounts of wasted heat in industrial processes. Some technologies have been proposed to generate electricity from low temperature heat sources, among which the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). The present work assesses the wasted heat in some sectors of the Portuguese manufacture industry and the potential to implement ORC systems. The methodology developed was based on the analysis of 116 industrial plants through energy audits and other documents. The 50 plants that revealed potential for ORC implementation were the base for estimations and represent 16% of the manufacture industry total energy consumption in 2010. The national support schemes for power generation from renewable resources and cogeneration do not contemplate specifically the electricity production through waste heat recovery. Therefore, the country lacks on an appropriate framework. This study provides a preliminary assessment of the benefits reachable through waste heat-to-power generation and intends to help focus future efforts by the government on the inclusion of ORC in national strategies as an energy efficiency measure in Industry. A total of 8 sectors were analysed but only 4 are included in the final universe: Ceramic, Cement, Basic metals and Wood & Cork. For these, ORC units of 48 kWe to 3.3 MWe installed power are feasible, showing payback times typically between 2 and 6 years. For an estimated total investment of 104 M€ in ORC systems in the Ceramic, Cement, Basic metals and Wood & Cork industries, about 37 MWe installable power could mean executing 5.2 to 6.6% of the Portuguese 2016 Target of savings on Final Energy consumption in Industry, with associated avoided emissions of 132 kt CO2e/year

A Widespread Review of Smart Grids Towards Smart Cities

© 2019 by the authorsNowadays, the importance of energy management and optimization by means of smart devices has arisen as an important issue. On the other hand, the intelligent application of smart devices stands as a key element in establishing smart cities, which have been suggested as the solution to complicated future urbanization difficulties in coming years. Considering the scarcity of traditional fossil fuels in the near future, besides their ecological problems the new smart grids have demonstrated the potential to merge the non-renewable and renewable energy resources into each other leading to the reduction of environmental problems and optimizing operating costs. The current paper clarifies the importance of smart grids in launching smart cities by reviewing the advancement of micro/nano grids, applications of renewable energies, energy-storage technologies, smart water grids in smart cities. Additionally a review of the major European smart city projects has been carried out. These will offer a wider vision for researchers in the operation, monitoring, control and audit of smart-grid systems.publishedVersio