134 research outputs found
Future Challenges and Mitigation Methods for High Photovoltaic Penetration: A Survey
: Integration of high volume (high penetration) of photovoltaic (PV) generation with power grids consequently leads to some technical challenges that are mainly due to the intermittent nature of solar energy, the volume of data involved in the smart grid architecture, and the impact power electronic-based smart inverters. These challenges include reverse power flow, voltage fluctuations, power quality issues, dynamic stability, big data challenges and others. This paper investigates the existing challenges with the current level of PV penetration and looks into the challenges with high PV penetration in future scenarios such as smart cities, transactive energy, proliferation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), possible eclipse events, big data issues and environmental impacts. Within the context of these future scenarios, this paper reviewed the existing solutions and provides insights to new and future solutions that could be explored to ultimately address these issues and improve the smart grid’s security, reliability and resilienc
A Review of Current Research Trends in Power-Electronic Innovations in Cyber-Physical Systems.
In this paper, a broad overview of the current research trends in power-electronic innovations in cyber-physical systems (CPSs) is presented. The recent advances in semiconductor device technologies, control architectures, and communication methodologies have enabled researchers to develop integrated smart CPSs that can cater to the emerging requirements of smart grids, renewable energy, electric vehicles, trains, ships, internet of things (IoTs), etc. The topics presented in this paper include novel power-distribution architectures, protection techniques considering large renewable integration in smart grids, wireless charging in electric vehicles, simultaneous power and information transmission, multi-hop network-based coordination, power technologies for renewable energy and smart transformer, CPS reliability, transactive smart railway grid, and real-time simulation of shipboard power systems. It is anticipated that the research trends presented in this paper will provide a timely and useful overview to the power-electronics researchers with broad applications in CPSs.post-print2.019 K
Self-organizing Coordination of Multi-Agent Microgrid Networks
abstract: This work introduces self-organizing techniques to reduce the complexity and burden of coordinating distributed energy resources (DERs) and microgrids that are rapidly increasing in scale globally. Technical and financial evaluations completed for power customers and for utilities identify how disruptions are occurring in conventional energy business models. Analyses completed for Chicago, Seattle, and Phoenix demonstrate site-specific and generalizable findings. Results indicate that net metering had a significant effect on the optimal amount of solar photovoltaics (PV) for households to install and how utilities could recover lost revenue through increasing energy rates or monthly fees. System-wide ramp rate requirements also increased as solar PV penetration increased. These issues are resolved using a generalizable, scalable transactive energy framework for microgrids to enable coordination and automation of DERs and microgrids to ensure cost effective use of energy for all stakeholders. This technique is demonstrated on a 3-node and 9-node network of microgrid nodes with various amounts of load, solar, and storage. Results found that enabling trading could achieve cost savings for all individual nodes and for the network up to 5.4%. Trading behaviors are expressed using an exponential valuation curve that quantifies the reputation of trading partners using historical interactions between nodes for compatibility, familiarity, and acceptance of trades. The same 9-node network configuration is used with varying levels of connectivity, resulting in up to 71% cost savings for individual nodes and up to 13% cost savings for the network as a whole. The effect of a trading fee is also explored to understand how electricity utilities may gain revenue from electricity traded directly between customers. If a utility imposed a trading fee to recoup lost revenue then trading is financially infeasible for agents, but could be feasible if only trying to recoup cost of distribution charges. These scientific findings conclude with a brief discussion of physical deployment opportunities.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Systems Engineering 201
Scalable pathways to net zero carbon in the UK higher education sector: A systematic review of smart energy systems in university campuses
The following literature review sets out the state-of-the-art research relating to smart building principles and smart energy systems in UK higher education university campuses. The paper begins by discussing the carbon impact of the sector and the concept of ‘smart campuses' applied to the sector in the context of decarbonisation. Opportunities and challenges associated with integrating smart energy systems at the university campus from a policy and technical perspective are then discussed. This is followed by a review of building and campus-scale frameworks supporting a transition to smart energy campuses using the BPIE’ Smart Buildings' framework. The paper finds that the complexity of achieving net-zero carbon emissions for new and existing higher education buildings and energy systems can be addressed with the adoption of ‘smart building principles' and integrating 'smartness' into their energy systems. Several universities in the UK and worldwide are integrating smart services and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in their operations following the smart campus premise. At the building level, existing frameworks often create conceptual roadmaps for the smart building premise or propose technical implementation and assessment methods. At university campus scale, implementation typically comes through single-vector interventions, and only few examples exist that propose a multi-vector approach. Comparisons of the drivers and the decision-making process are made, with carbon and cost reduction being the most prominent from leveraging distributed energy generation. Therefore, this study identified the need for a comprehensive technical or policy framework to drive the uptake of the smart energy campus, aiming to bring together the holistic value of smart energy campuses
Transitioning power distribution grid into nanostructured ecosystem : prosumer-centric sovereignty
PhD ThesisGrowing acceptance for in-house Distributed Energy Resource (DER) installations at lowvoltage
level have gained much significance in recent years due to electricity market liberalisations
and opportunities in reduced energy billings through personalised utilisation
management for targeted business model. In consequence, modelling of passive customers’
electric power system are progressively transitioned into Prosumer-based settings where presidency
for Transactive Energy (TE) system framework is favoured. It amplifies Prosumers’
commitments into annexing TE values during market participations and optimised energy
management to earn larger rebates and incentives from TE programs. However, when dealing
with mass Behind-The-Meter DER administrations, Utility foresee managerial challenges
when dealing with distribution network analysis, planning, protection, and power quality
security based on Prosumers’ flexibility in optimising their energy needs.
This dissertation contributes prepositions into modelling Distributed Energy Resources
Management System (DERMS) as an aggregator designed for Prosumer-centered cooperation,
interoperating TE control and coordination as key parameters to market for both
optimised energy trading and ancillary services in a Community setting. However, Prosumers
are primarily driven to create a profitable business model when modelling their
DERMS aggregator. Greedy-optimisation exploitations are negative concerns when decisions
made resulted in detrimental-uncoordinated outcomes on Demand-Side Response (DSR)
and capacity market engagements. This calls for policy decision makers to contract safe (i.e.
cooperative yet competitive tendency) business models for Prosumers to maximise TE values
while enhancing network’s power quality metrics and reliability performances.
Firstly, digitalisation and nanostructuring of distribution network is suggested to identify
Prosumer as a sole energy citizen while extending bilateral trading between Prosumer-to-
Prosumer (PtP) with the involvements of other grid operators−TE system. Modelling of
Nanogrid environment for DER integrations and establishment of local area network infrastructure
for IoT security (i.e. personal computing solutions and data protection) are committed
for communal engagements in a decentralise setting. Secondly, a multi-layered Distributed
Control Framework (DCF) is proposed using Microsoft Azure cloud-edge platform that cascades energy actors into respective layers of TE control and coordination. Furthermore,
modelling of flexi-edge computing architecture is proposed, comprising of Contract-Oriented
Sensor-based Application Platform (COSAP) employing Multi-Agent System (MAS) to
enhance data-sharing privacy and contract coalition agreements during PtP engagements.
Lastly, the Agents of MAS are programmed with cooperative yet competitive intelligences
attributed to Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Neural Networks (NN) algorithms to solve
multimodal socio-economical and uncertainty problems that corresponded to Prosumers’
dynamic energy priorities within the TE framework. To verify the DERMS aggregator
operations, three business models were proposed (i.e. greedy-profit margin, collegial-peak
demand, reserved-standalone) to analyse comparative technical/physical and economic/social
dimensions. Results showed that the proposed TE-valued DERMS aggregator provides
participation versatility in the electricity market that enables competitive edginess when utilising
Behind-The-Meter DERs in view of Prosumer’s asset scheduling, bidding strategy, and
corroborative ancillary services. Performance metrics were evaluated on both domestic and
industrial NG environments against IEEE Standard 2030.7-2017 & 2030.8-2018 compliances
to ensure deployment practicability.
Subsequently, proposed in-house protection system for DER installation serves as an
add-on monitoring service which can be incorporated into existing Advance Distribution
Management System (ADMS) for Distribution Service Operator (DSO) and field engineers
use, ADMS aggregator. It provides early fault detections and isolation processes from allowing
fault current to propagate upstream causing cascading power quality issues across
the feeder line. In addition, ADMS aggregator also serves as islanding indicator that distinguishes
Nanogrid’s islanding state from unintentional or intentional operations. Therefore, a
Overcurrent Current Relay (OCR) is proposed using Fuzzy Logic (FL) algorithm to detect,
profile, and provide decisional isolation processes using specified OCRs. Moreover, the
proposed expert knowledge in FL is programmed to detect fault crises despite insufficient
fault current level contributed by DER (i.e. solar PV system) which conventional OCR fails
to trigger
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