Smart grids concept in electrical distribution system

This paper defines key business processes in electrical distribution systems and key elements and priority components that should be (re)defined in these processes in order to enable the goals of smart grids concept to be fulfilled in the cost effective way. Activities undertaken in the Power Distribution Company of “Elektrovojvodina” (Serbia), which provide the basis for fulfilling the Smart Grids goals and thus enable full implementation of smart grids concept are presented in details

Overview of Energy Management and Leakage Control Systems for Smart Water Grids and Digital Water

Current and future smart cities are moving towards the zero-net energy use concept. To this end, the built environment should also be designed for efficient energy use and play a significant role in the production of such energy. At present, this is achieved by focusing on energy demand in buildings and to the renewable trade-off related to smart power grids. However, urban water distribution systems constantly carry an excess of hydraulic energy that can potentially be recovered to produce electricity. This paper presents a comprehensive review of current strategies for energy production by reviewing the state-of-the-art of smart water systems. New technologies (such as cyber-physical systems, digital twins, blockchain) and new methodologies (network dynamics, geometric deep learning) associated with digital water are also discussed. The paper then focuses on modelling the installation of both micro-turbines and pumps as turbines, instead of/together with pressure reduction valves, to further demonstrate the energy-recovery methods which will enable water network partitioning into district metered areas. The associated benefits on leakage control, as a source of energy, and for contributing to overall network resilience are also highlighted. The paper concludes by presenting future research directions. Notably, digital water is proposed as the main research and operational direction for current and future Water Distribution Systems (WDS) and as a holistic, data-centred framework for the operation and management of water networks.</jats:p

Power line communications: an implementation of a real time control architecture for smart grid

Negli ultimi anni è aumentata la presenza di risorse energetiche distribuite (DERs) nella rete elettrica. La visione della ``rete intelligente'' (Smart Grid) cerca di introdurre un'infrastruttura di controllo e di comunicazione di tipo distribuito in modo da sfruttare le potenzialità delle DERs e quindi potenziare e modernizzare la rete di distribuzione attuale. Applicandolo alle reti a bassa tensione, la cosiddetta ``Smart Microgrids'', si è sviluppato un banco di prova (testbed) che permette di dimostrare tecniche di riduzione delle perdite di distribuzione. La soluzione adottata bilancia localmente la potenza reattiva della microgrid attraverso il controllo delle risorse locali ottenendo una riduzione della corrente necessaria per alimentare la rete. Inoltre, vengono analizzati i vantaggi nell'usare la linea elettrica come mezzo di comunicazione e vengono evidenziati alcuni standard di comunicazion

Developing novel technologies and services for intelligent low voltage electricity grids: cost–benefit analysis and policy implications

The paper presents a set of prototype smart grid technologies and services and validates the economic viability of the proposed solution using cost–benefit analysis (CBA). The study considered the EU-funded project called RESOLVD and implemented the technologies and services in a real-life pilot. the technologies and services on the EU-funded H2020. The paper focuses on the analysis of technological solutions which enhance the operational efficiency and the hosting capacity of low-voltage electricity distribution grids. The solutions provided better integration of a hybrid battery storage system, with the grid interfacing power electronics, smart gateways for the interconnection of assets at the grid edge, and sensors enhancing infrastructure observability and control. The result from the CBA indicates the economic viability of the project, high scalability, and replicability. The economic benefits were realized with the breakeven value of eight secondary substations (SS) and 16 feeders. The scenario test on the DSO’s willingness to pay for the software as a service (SaaS) revealed that the payback period can further be reduced by almost half with a higher internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV). Both the CBA and scenario tests showed RESOLVD solution can become more economically viable when deployed in largescale. Moreover, the CBA results provide evidence to the energy policy by allowing DSOs to consider both CAPEX and OPEX for better investment decisions. Further, the paper proposes an alternative business approach that shifts from grid reinforcement to service provision. The paper also discusses the research implications on energy policy and business.Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i InfraestructuraObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats SosteniblesPostprint (published version

Coordinated two-stage volt/var management in distribution networks

This paper investigates daily volt/var control in distribution networks using feeder capacitors as well as substation capacitors paired with on-load tap changers. A twostage coordinated approach is proposed. Firstly, the feeder capacitor dispatch schedule is determined based on reactive power heuristics. Then, an optimisation model is applied to determine the dispatch schedule of the substation devices taking into account the control actions of the feeder capacitors. The reference voltage of the substation secondary bus and the tap position limits of transformers are modified such that the model adapts to varying load conditions. The optimisation model is solved with a modified particle swarm optimisation algorithm. Furthermore, the proposed method is compared with conventional volt/var control strategies using a distribution network case study. It is demonstrated that the proposed approach performs better than the conventional strategies in terms of voltage deviation and energy loss minimisation

Smart grid technology deployment and impact assessment at eThekwini electricity.

M. Sc. Eng. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2014.The world‟s population is increasing rapidly and is projected to reach 8 billion within the next few decades. Urban migration is also on the rise and it is estimated that there would be significant growth in Africa and more Africans will reside in urban rather than rural areas by 2030. eThekwini, as a leading city in Africa has to establish practices to enable that it utilizes its current resources optimally and sustainably to cater for its future energy and resource requirements. The role of Smart Grid (SG) systems as an electricity industry enabler has been recognized throughout the developed world. The effective introduction and implementation of SGs is also regarded as a major enabler to realize some of the key objectives at local, provincial and national government levels. Significant investment has gone into modernizing the existing electricity grid infrastructure at eThekwini to make it smarter, albeit with varying degrees of success. The term “SG” refers to optimizing, automating and modernizing of the electrical network so that it monitors, protects and automatically optimizes the operation of its interconnected elements. In the eThekwini context, this would include the electricity purchase points from Eskom; distributed generation injection points; the high-, medium- and low voltage networks as well as the industrial, commercial and domestic consumers and their applications and devices. The SG is characterized by a two way flow of electricity and information to create an optimized and automated network that has self-healing properties. It would incorporate the benefits of distributed computing and modern communication systems to deliver information in real-time which enables the almost instantaneous balance of supply and demand. SGs will be designed to ensure high levels of reliability, security, quality, availability and will also aim to improve economic productivity, minimize environmental impact, maximize safety and improve quality of life. The aim, objective and research question of this study will address as to how eThekwini‟s SG maturity levels compare to local and international peers, whether the SG technology deployment is aligned with its objectives, to ascertain the impact of SG implementation and whether the anticipated benefits are being realized. The concept of SG has only been recently formalized at eThekwini and very little research has been conducted in this area which this study aims to address

Cost of using building information modeling (BIM) in retrofit projects

2017 Fall.Includes bibliographical references.Building information modeling (BIM) is a process that involves the creation and use of an n-dimensional model that can be used in the design, construction, and operation of a building. BIM is changing the process by which buildings are designed, constructed, and used by future generations. However, many owners require seeing quantitative measurements when discussing the benefits of BIM, and these benefits are difficult to quantify into a cost. Previous research has shown the benefits of BIM in new construction, but there is no sufficient research on the benefits of BIM in retrofit projects. BIM can assist in understanding existing buildings and executing the retrofit work. The research goal is to show owners and contractors the cost of using BIM in retrofit projects by comparing the cost benefits of implementing BIM with the fees required. This research provides a methodology to calculate and quantify the cost of using BIM on retrofit projects and evaluate whether BIM is a worthwhile investment for owners. There are three objectives of this research: 1. Identify the factors used in calculating the cost benefits of using BIM in retrofit projects. 2. Develop a systematic approach to cost analysis to quantify the cost benefits of using BIM in retrofit projects. 3. Perform a cost analysis to investigate whether there are economic benefits of using BIM compared to not using BIM for retrofit projects. A comprehensive literature review is conducted to understand the benefits of implementing BIM in construction projects. After determining the factors that could be used to quantify the benefits of using BIM in retrofit projects, a methodology is developed for the quantification of these benefits into a cost. The developed methodology is applied to a real-life retrofit project. The potential cost benefits of implementing BIM in this project are calculated based on measurable cost benefits associated with reduced change orders and reduced schedule overruns. A cost analysis has been performed using the cost benefits and the fees required for implementing BIM in a retrofit project. The research shows that the use of BIM has prevented five change orders in the real-life project. The change orders would have resulted in rework costs as well as schedule overruns. The cost of rework and penalties due to schedule overruns caused by the change orders are calculated. The cost analysis shows that in some scenarios the fee required to implement BIM is higher than the cost benefits of using BIM, and in some scenarios the fee required to implement BIM is lower than the cost benefits. In one of the scenarios, BIM has resulted in a loss of 59% of the fees required to implement BIM in the retrofit project, and in another scenario, BIM has resulted in a gain of 17%. This research attempts to analyze the cost related to the use of BIM in a retrofit project. The research results provide the owners and the general contractors with an estimate of the cost related to BIM use in the project

Battery Energy Storage Systems in the United Kingdom: A Review of Current State-of-the-Art and Future Applications

The number of battery energy storage systems (BESSs) installed in the United Kingdom and worldwide is growing rapidly due to a variety of factors, including technological improvements, reduced costs and the ability to provide various ancillary services. The aim of this paper is to carry out a comprehensive literature review on this technology, its applications in power systems and to identify potential future developments. At first, the main BESSs projects in the UK are presented and classified. The parameters provided for each project include rated power, battery technology and ancillary services provided, if any. In the next section, the most commonly deployed ancillary services are classified and described. At the same time, the nomenclature found in the literature is explained and harmonised. The second part of the paper focuses on future developments and research gaps: ancillary services that currently are not common but that are likely to be deployed more widely in the future will be described, and more general research topics related to the development of BESSs for power system applications will be outlined