Evolution of precision agriculture computing towards sustainable oil palm industry

Precision technology elements have not been implemented yet into the sustainable oil palm industry because the knowledge and technology gap. To resolve the gaps, promote sustainability and integrate the technologies, Oil Palm Management System (OPAMS) was introduced. The precision technologies in OPAMS comprises of Geographical Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing and yield monitoring. A phase by phase System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology was used to generate the said system with feedbacks from oil palm planters as the inputs for OPAMS’s key features. OPAMS ultimately aims to increase the awareness of the industry on the benefits of utilizing technology to improve plantation performances, increase business and environmental sustainability

Virtual Power Plant Concepts for Ancillary Market - Demonstration, Development, and Validation

The increased penetration of distributed energy resources and renewables open up issues in power systems as a whole. Chapter 1 discusses these issues, and highlights the literature solutions. The concept of VPP is highlighted, different options are explored, and the use of VPP is motivated. The chapter further discusses different ancillary services, with both technical and market perspectives. It makes a clear demarcation amongst transmission and distribution level VPPs, and their economic and technical aspects. Different components within VPP are also highlighted in this chapter. The models of VPP, based on SGAM, are presented in Chapter 2, with detailed test cases. The models characterize VPP as an aggregator at TSO, VPP as DER-Aggregator/DERMS at DSO-DMS, and VPP as business case for flexibility to DSO-DMS. It includes the VPP actors, their characteristics, and a compact architecture based on SGAM. It further splits VPP participants in different software: MATLAB/Simulink, DIgSILENT, and LabVIEW for defined test cases. These are further elaborated in detail in the next chapters, and all are discussed w.r.t regulatory, technical, and economic aspects. Chapter 3 co-simulates VPP-DERMS (Distributed Energy Resource Management System as a Virtual Power Plant) based customers' DR through LabVIEW. It develops interface to customers' meters for reactive power visibility, and then develops a HMI and recording tool at VPP controller. The performance of the tool is analyzed in the chapter, which is in fact the modeling of Modbus based customers' interaction for reactive power. Chapter 4 co-simulates effects of DER on a distribution grid in DIgSILENT. A distribution grid is modelled in DIgSILENT, and then DERs are added to the network. Node voltages and line loading are analyzed in the absence and presence of unplanned DERs. Then the network is seen from two perspectives \u2013 flexibility that can be provided to TSO with STATCOM at transmission node, and flexibility that can be provided to DSO with planned DGs at distribution node. Chapter 5 co-simulates storage model in MATLAB/Simulink. It starts with the techno-economic analysis of potential storage systems, and then to realize the storage model for simulation. The model of selected storage system is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink, and then a explicit service test case is developed within VPP-aggregator to analyze the flexibility margin by storage. Next step is the integration of these co-simulators within different service platform levels. The objective of Chapter 6 is to develop an interface amongst co-simulators to simulate the VPP chain. At first step, the co-simulators are realized within tags: wind farm tags are created in DIgSILENT, customers' based tags are built in LabVIEW, and storage tags are located inside MATLAB/Simulink. Then communication amongst the co-interfaces is done by the development of Matrikon OPC server and explorer platform. The master platform is implemented in LabVIEW-RT tool. Then test cases are defined for the validation of platform, which is performed in Chapter 7. Chapter 7 is dedicated to the validation of the formulated VPPs \u2013 DERMS, business VPP, and aggregator. DERMS based model is validated within DIgSILENT, by using a portion of the Italian distribution grid. Aggregator based model is validated within DIgSILENT, by using the IEEE 9 bus transmission test model. Business VPP model is validated using IEC 61850 compliant feature of DIgSILENT for the same distribution grid in a translational manner. The validated VPP is used as an application for power system reliability, which is presented in Chapter 8. It describes the conventional schemes for power system protection, and the issues with DER penetration. It then models a VPP, and verifies its functionality for power system protection. Chapter 9 concludes the thesis

Restoration of an active MV distribution grid with a battery ESS: A real case study

In order to improve power system operation, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) have been installed in high voltage/medium voltage stations by Distribution System Operators (DSOs) around the world. Support for restoration of MV distribution networks after a blackout or HV interruption is among the possible new functionalities of BESSs. With the aim to improve quality of service, the present paper investigates whether a BESS, installed in the HV/MV substation, can improve the restoration process indicators of a distribution grid. As a case study, an actual active distribution network of e-distribuzione, the main Italian DSO, has been explored. The existing network is located in central Italy. It supplies two municipalities of approximately 10,000 inhabitants and includes renewable generation plants. Several configurations are considered, based on: the state of the grid at blackout time; the BESS state of charge; and the involvement of Dispersed Generation (DG) in the restoration process. Three restoration plans (RPs) have been defined, involving the BESS alone, or in coordination with DG. A MATLAB®/Simulink® program has been designed to simulate the restoration process in each configuration and restoration plan. The results show that the BESS improves restoration process quality indicators in different simulated configurations, allowing the operation in controlled island mode of parts of distribution grids, during interruptions or blackout conditions. The defined restoration plans set the priority and the sequence of controlled island operations of parts of the grid to ensure a safe and better restoration. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that a BESS can be a valuable element towards an improved restoration procedure

Renewable Energy and Other Strategies for Mitigating the Energy Crisis in Nepal

The overarching aim of this research is to carefully review Nepal’s energy scenario from the technical and socio-economic perspective in order to determine the optimal near-term as well as long-term strategies to overcome the energy crisis. Renewable energy sources are pivotal to this research due to the abundant availability of these resources in Nepal. The long-term energy supply and demand forecast for Nepal over the next 30 years was obtained in Long-Range Energy Planning (LEAP) software. Other quantitative results were obtained using software packages, including PVsyst, Meteo, and HOMER. In many other cases, energy data collected from open literature,government and regulator reports were analysed. There are also several case studies considered in the thesis. The PV rooftop energy systems for Nepalese town and rural households can minimise the energy trade deficit with neighbouring India, enhance energy security, and improve local employment opportunities as well as improve utilisation of the local resources. In particular, a 3kW PV rooftop system was designed and simulated in MATLAB/Simulink, and the corresponding PV and IV curves were obtained, including analysing the effects of environmental temperature and solar irradiation. The design was followed by techno-economic feasibility, assuming typical households inthe Kathmandu valley. The study outcome is that the PV system for a residential building in Kathmandu is economically feasible, and it can provide nearly 6,000 kWh/year of energy. The potential energy efficiency improvements in the cement industry were studied using data collected directly at one of the major cement plants in Nepal. The cement production processes are very energy-intensive, and they have not changed for years. Since the energy costs in Nepal are abnormally high, they represent over half of the cement production costs. It creates substantial pressure to conserve energy and materials while reducing the carbon footprint. Other important factors that must be considered apart from energy issues are production efficiency and sustainability, and how to exploit innovations and encourage investments. The chaotic energy situation in Nepal is exacerbated by rather significant electricity distribution losses and frequent cases of electricity theft. These two issues are significant contributors to a widening gap between energy supply and demand. iv. Other such issues include overpriced and delayed hydropower projects, insufficient and outdated infrastructure, lack of energy conservation, deficient energy management, inadequately low efficiency of equipment, unsustainable energy pricing strategies, indecisive energy market regulations, reliance on energy imports, and especially inadequate exploitation of vast amounts of renewable energy resources. All these factors are also adversely affecting the geopolitical, environmental, and socioeconomic situation in Nepal. The developments in the energy sector in Nepal are also discussed in light of the relevant energy policies which have been adopted by the government over the past two decades. The results presented in the thesis can be used by the government regulators and energy policy planners, and possibly also by the public and private energy companies. It should be noted that the findings and observations in the thesis are also applicable to other countries with a similar development status and geography as Nepal

DC microgrid simulation and control

However, one of the primary challenges in the microgrid is controlling power electronic devices when it is coordinated with the utility grid. The control system in the microgrid has the main objectives, to ensure supply power to the critical loads, to connect and disconnect the load in case of any fault occurring in the microgrid. This thesis investigates different types of strategies used to control and manage a microgrid; also, the report considers inverter control in islanded mode. This thesis explores the ideas for controlling a microgrid in terms of voltage control in both centralized and decentralized configurations. In more detail, simulations were carried out on two control strategies; inverter control, and frequency control. The inverter control method having the ability to bring the stable and efficient electricity to microgrid system has attracted much consideration in recent years. The droop controller had the capability to autonomously perform equal power sharing and maintain stability in islanded mode of operation. There are many existing dc microgrid around the world. Kythnos Island microgrid is one of those existing microgrid, which can supply 12 houses within the island by using the inverter controller, as the utility grid is located far away from the microgrid. However, this island is either ac or dc loads, so some inverters and converters will be involved in the network. The investigation used MATLAB /SIMULINK to simulate the microgrid network. Which done by implementing the controller in the both ac and dc load. The performance measures such as power sharing accuracy between the microgrid and diesel generator will be obtained. The diesel generators used as a backup in the case of any fault occur in the microgrid. The network simulations at different dc and ac loads will be simulating by using Simulink. This then used to calculate the efficiency of the whole network through the Simulink. Then how efficiency is can be used to upgrade the network as future scope. Active and reactive power in the droop control has been commonly reported on and has been shown to work over a series of the condition of the network. The PQ inverter improves the performance of microgrid in islanded mode; however, the result demonstrates that the inverter controller performed well in the simulation of the Kythnos microgrid network. The efficiency of the LVDC indicates that inverter controller with the ac load performance higher efficiency compared to the dc loads

Energy Academic Group Compilation of Abstracts 2012-2016

This report highlights the breadth of energy-related student research at NPS and reinforces the importance of energy as an integral aspect of today's Naval enterprise. The abstracts provided are from theses and a capstone project report completed by December 2012-March 2016 graduates.http://archive.org/details/energyacademicgr109454991

Different storage-focused PV-based mini-grid architectures for rural developing communities

Impacts of grid architectures on temporal diffusion of PV-based communal grids (community owned minigrids or microgrids) in a rural developing community are modelled and simulated using MATLAB/Simulink and a survey-informed agent-based model (ABM) developed in NetLogo. Results show that decentralised control architectures stimulate minigrid formations and connections by allowing easy expansions of the minigrids as each decentralised PV system within a minigrid is treated equally and determines its own real and reactive power, eliminating the need for communication links. This also reduces the cost of implementing such a system; fewer connections are realized with centralised controls as such systems require high speed communication links which make them both difficult to expand and expensive to implement. Results also show that multi-master operation modes lead to more communal grid connections compared to single-master operation modes because in the former, all distributed PV systems within a communal grid have the same rank and can act as masters or can be operated as combinations of master generators (VSIs) and PQ inverters, allowing for more design flexibility and easy connections from potential customers

Intelligent Application of Flexible AC Transmission System Components in an Evolving Power Grid

The world revolves around energy and the energy sector is continually transforming and evolving. The status quo has been set by governing agencies in the United States for completely reliable power. The demand for energy efficiency continually rises for multiple reasons. Technology has improved for all sectors of the power grid, including renewable energy sources, fault protection, and SMART grid technology. The addition of new energy sources has led to the decommissioning of inefficient energy sources. The implementation of new technologies and power load on a large scale, coupled with the removal of grid stabilizers has posed different challenges that have been overcome using Flexible AC Transmission System devices or FACTS. FACTS devices increase power quality, reliability and efficiency of a power grid, if implemented correctly. With several different FACTS devices, the many power grid situations and FACTS combinations must be methodically tested and planned. ETAP and MATLAB/SIMULINK simulate designed power systems accurately with the additional functionality to model FACTS. The simulation of the IEEE nine bus model with potentially problematic variations applied show that FACTS components are required. The simulation show that the power factor and energy efficiency increased with FACTS. The avoidance of blackouts with fault recovery was made plausible, with less overshoot and quicker convergence time. Finally, combining FACTS can increase the revitalization of the power grid through the replacement of polluting generation to renewable generation