Asset management and maintenance: a smart grid perspective

This paper presents the importance, issues and challenges related to Smart Grid. It also evaluates various approaches for Smart Grid planning and operation. It discusses tools for asset management and their applicability to the next generation grid. Aging assets, uncertainty in load demand profile and renewable energy resources, and demand management create a challenge for the optimal operation and maintenance of electrical grid. This paper addresses the challenges and opportunities to improve transmission and distribution systems asset maintenance. This paper also presents the asset replacement alternatives. This paper also presents the cost-benefit analysis of asset management using the information/real time data from the utility company. This paper will serve a guide for doing the asset management to the electrification  process, investment and  recovery to sustain reliable and efficient power delivery

Quality of Service and Economic Assessment of a MV Distribution Network Fault Locator

The fault management process consists of several sub-tasks: fault location, fault isolation and service restoration. This work presents an assessment and evaluation of the practical aspects of the Medium Voltage (MV) Fault Locator at the Portuguese Distribution System primary substation. Eighty samples of incidents occurred at different MV network with different characteristics in Portugal were used to determine the time saving on the restoration process as well as the improvement on the quality of services indices. An economical assessment based of the use of the MV Distribution Network Fault Locator available in the Portuguese Primary Substation was done and discussed

Cloud-computing strategies for sustainable ICT utilization : a decision-making framework for non-expert Smart Building managers

Virtualization of processing power, storage, and networking applications via cloud-computing allows Smart Buildings to operate heavy demand computing resources off-premises. While this approach reduces in-house costs and energy use, recent case-studies have highlighted complexities in decision-making processes associated with implementing the concept of cloud-computing. This complexity is due to the rapid evolution of these technologies without standardization of approach by those organizations offering cloud-computing provision as a commercial concern. This study defines the term Smart Building as an ICT environment where a degree of system integration is accomplished. Non-expert managers are highlighted as key users of the outcomes from this project given the diverse nature of Smart Buildings’ operational objectives. This research evaluates different ICT management methods to effectively support decisions made by non-expert clients to deploy different models of cloud-computing services in their Smart Buildings ICT environments. The objective of this study is to reduce the need for costly 3rd party ICT consultancy providers, so non-experts can focus more on their Smart Buildings’ core competencies rather than the complex, expensive, and energy consuming processes of ICT management. The gap identified by this research represents vulnerability for non-expert managers to make effective decisions regarding cloud-computing cost estimation, deployment assessment, associated power consumption, and management flexibility in their Smart Buildings ICT environments. The project analyses cloud-computing decision-making concepts with reference to different Smart Building ICT attributes. In particular, it focuses on a structured programme of data collection which is achieved through semi-structured interviews, cost simulations and risk-analysis surveys. The main output is a theoretical management framework for non-expert decision-makers across variously-operated Smart Buildings. Furthermore, a decision-support tool is designed to enable non-expert managers to identify the extent of virtualization potential by evaluating different implementation options. This is presented to correlate with contract limitations, security challenges, system integration levels, sustainability, and long-term costs. These requirements are explored in contrast to cloud demand changes observed across specified periods. Dependencies were identified to greatly vary depending on numerous organizational aspects such as performance, size, and workload. The study argues that constructing long-term, sustainable, and cost-efficient strategies for any cloud deployment, depends on the thorough identification of required services off and on-premises. It points out that most of today’s heavy-burdened Smart Buildings are outsourcing these services to costly independent suppliers, which causes unnecessary management complexities, additional cost, and system incompatibility. The main conclusions argue that cloud-computing cost can differ depending on the Smart Building attributes and ICT requirements, and although in most cases cloud services are more convenient and cost effective at the early stages of the deployment and migration process, it can become costly in the future if not planned carefully using cost estimation service patterns. The results of the study can be exploited to enhance core competencies within Smart Buildings in order to maximize growth and attract new business opportunities

Advances in smart grids - benefits on sharing background experiences from Portugal, Central Europe and Brazil

This paper presents ELECON - Electricity Consumption Analysis to Promote Energy Efficiency Considering Demand Response and Non-technical Losses, an international research project that involves European and Brazilian partners. ELECON focuses on energy efficiency increasing through consumer´s active participation which is a key area for Europe and Brazil cooperation. The project aims at significantly contributing towards the successful implementation of smart grids, focussing on the use of new methods that allow the efficient use of distributed energy resources, namely distributed generation, storage and demand response. ELECON puts together researchers from seven European and Brazilian partners, with consolidated research background and evidencing complementary competences. ELECON involves institutions of 3 European countries (Portugal, Germany, and France) and 4 Brazilian institutions. The complementary background and experience of the European and Brazilian partners is of main relevance to ensure the capacities required to achieve the proposed goals. In fact, the European Union (EU) and Brazil have very different resources and approaches in what concerns this area. Having huge hydro and fossil resources, Brazil has not been putting emphasis on distributed renewable based electricity generation. On the contrary, EU has been doing huge investments in this area, taking into account environmental concerns and also the economic EU external dependence dictated by huge requirements of energy related products imports. Sharing these different backgrounds allows the project team to propose new methodologies able to efficiently address the new challenges of smart grids

Contribution to the operation of smart rural distribution grid with energy resources for improvement of the quality of service

This Thesis aims for contributing in the deployment and operation of Smart Grid, in isolated rural areas. As it would be expected, technological developments and investments in the electrical field have mainly focused on urban and industrial areas where the energy demand is high, as well as, the possibility to recover easily the investment. Therefore, difficult accessing areas where population and electrical demand are low are less attractive to invest. For this reason, this Thesis, in parallel to the European project known as Smart Rural Grid, has focused on the rural grid development. In this sense, the Thesis contributes directly in the design, conception and justification of an innovate architecture for rural systems. The architecture has been deployed and tested at the end of a medium voltage line of Estabanell Energia in Vallfogona del Ripollès. In addition, the presented architecture is characterised to integrate power electronics with embedded battery systems, an innovative management system and a proper telecommunication network in order to gain robustness, flexibility and hosting capacity for distributed and renewable generation. To sum up, the Thesis has focused on the design and development of new operation modes, algorithms and equipment that allow to manage automatically and optimally the energy resources; like power electronics, energy storage systems, distributed and renewable generation, and controllable loads. These strategies are able to correct common issues in rural grids, such as voltage variations and electrical losses. In addition, they improve and ensure the power quality and supply continuity, contribute to reduce operational costs and infrastructure optimization and deferral.Aquesta tesi vol contribuir en el desplegament de les futures xarxes elèctriques intel.ligents, en entorns rurals que habitualment són oblidats. Cal mencionar que els principals avenços tecnològics i les inversions per part dels gestors de la xarxa s'han centrat en entorns urbans i industrials, ja que aquests solen demandar grans quantitats d'energia, fet que facilita la recuperació de la inversió. Per tant, en un entorn on la densitat de població i la demanda energètica és baixa i a més l'orografia és complexa resulta menys atractiu invertir-hi. Per aquest motiu, la tesi, en paral.lel al projecte Europeu Smart Rural Grid, s'ha centrat en el desenvolupament de les xarxes elèctriques en entorns rurals. El principal objectiu de la tesi i alhora del projecte Smart Rural Grid és desenvolupar tecnologies per concebre les futures xarxes en entorns rurals. Aquestes han de permetre incrementar la baixa eficiència, qualitat i resiliència de la xarxa. En aquest sentit, la tesi ha contribuït en la concepció, disseny i justificació d'una innovadora arquitectura. Aquesta arquitectura, s'ha dut a terme en el final d'una línia de mitja tensió d'Estabanell Energia a Vallfogona del Ripollès. A més, aquesta arquitectura es caracteritza per integrar electrònica de potència, sistemes elèctrics d'emmagatzemament, un innovador sistema de gestió i de telecomunicacions, poden proporcionar a la xarxa una major robustesa, flexibilitat i capacitat per integrar a la nova generació distribuïda i renovable. D'altre banda, la Tesi també s'ha centrat en la concepció i desenvolupament de nous modes d'operació, algoritmes i dispositius que permeten automatitzar i optimitzar la gestió dels recursos distribuïts; és a dir, la electrònica de potència, els sistemes d'emmagatzemament, la generació renovable i distribuïda i les càrregues controlables. Aquestes estratègies permeten solventar els problemes habituals en aquest tipus de xarxes, com per exemple les variacions de tensió i les pèrdues. A més, també milloren i asseguren la qualitat i continuïtat del subministrament, ajuden a reduir els costos d'operació i retrassar la inversió en nova infraestructur

Application of service composition mechanisms to Future Networks architectures and Smart Grids

Aquesta tesi gira entorn de la hipòtesi de la metodologia i mecanismes de composició de serveis i com es poden aplicar a diferents camps d'aplicació per a orquestrar de manera eficient comunicacions i processos flexibles i sensibles al context. Més concretament, se centra en dos camps d'aplicació: la distribució eficient i sensible al context de contingut multimèdia i els serveis d'una xarxa elèctrica intel·ligent. En aquest últim camp es centra en la gestió de la infraestructura, cap a la definició d'una Software Defined Utility (SDU), que proposa una nova manera de gestionar la Smart Grid amb un enfocament basat en programari, que permeti un funcionament molt més flexible de la infraestructura de xarxa elèctrica. Per tant, revisa el context, els requisits i els reptes, així com els enfocaments de la composició de serveis per a aquests camps. Fa especial èmfasi en la combinació de la composició de serveis amb arquitectures Future Network (FN), presentant una proposta de FN orientada a serveis per crear comunicacions adaptades i sota demanda. També es presenten metodologies i mecanismes de composició de serveis per operar sobre aquesta arquitectura, i posteriorment, es proposa el seu ús (en conjunció o no amb l'arquitectura FN) en els dos camps d'estudi. Finalment, es presenta la investigació i desenvolupament realitzat en l'àmbit de les xarxes intel·ligents, proposant diverses parts de la infraestructura SDU amb exemples d'aplicació de composició de serveis per dissenyar seguretat dinàmica i flexible o l'orquestració i gestió de serveis i recursos dins la infraestructura de l'empresa elèctrica.Esta tesis gira en torno a la hipótesis de la metodología y mecanismos de composición de servicios y cómo se pueden aplicar a diferentes campos de aplicación para orquestar de manera eficiente comunicaciones y procesos flexibles y sensibles al contexto. Más concretamente, se centra en dos campos de aplicación: la distribución eficiente y sensible al contexto de contenido multimedia y los servicios de una red eléctrica inteligente. En este último campo se centra en la gestión de la infraestructura, hacia la definición de una Software Defined Utility (SDU), que propone una nueva forma de gestionar la Smart Grid con un enfoque basado en software, que permita un funcionamiento mucho más flexible de la infraestructura de red eléctrica. Por lo tanto, revisa el contexto, los requisitos y los retos, así como los enfoques de la composición de servicios para estos campos. Hace especial hincapié en la combinación de la composición de servicios con arquitecturas Future Network (FN), presentando una propuesta de FN orientada a servicios para crear comunicaciones adaptadas y bajo demanda. También se presentan metodologías y mecanismos de composición de servicios para operar sobre esta arquitectura, y posteriormente, se propone su uso (en conjunción o no con la arquitectura FN) en los dos campos de estudio. Por último, se presenta la investigación y desarrollo realizado en el ámbito de las redes inteligentes, proponiendo varias partes de la infraestructura SDU con ejemplos de aplicación de composición de servicios para diseñar seguridad dinámica y flexible o la orquestación y gestión de servicios y recursos dentro de la infraestructura de la empresa eléctrica.This thesis revolves around the hypothesis the service composition methodology and mechanisms and how they can be applied to different fields of application in order to efficiently orchestrate flexible and context-aware communications and processes. More concretely, it focuses on two fields of application that are the context-aware media distribution and smart grid services and infrastructure management, towards a definition of a Software-Defined Utility (SDU), which proposes a new way of managing the Smart Grid following a software-based approach that enable a much more flexible operation of the power infrastructure. Hence, it reviews the context, requirements and challenges of these fields, as well as the service composition approaches. It makes special emphasis on the combination of service composition with Future Network (FN) architectures, presenting a service-oriented FN proposal for creating context-aware on-demand communication services. Service composition methodology and mechanisms are also presented in order to operate over this architecture, and afterwards, proposed for their usage (in conjunction or not with the FN architecture) in the deployment of context-aware media distribution and Smart Grids. Finally, the research and development done in the field of Smart Grids is depicted, proposing several parts of the SDU infrastructure, with examples of service composition application for designing dynamic and flexible security for smart metering or the orchestration and management of services and data resources within the utility infrastructure

建物におけるダイナミックプライシング導入の総合評価に関する研究

Electricity dynamic pricing represents one of the most significant evolutionary developments in pricing systems as they enable the participation of both consumers and the power supply enterprises. This paper surveyed the development status and challenges of smart grids and dynamic pricing in main driver countries. Meanwhile, it summarizes the results from an exploratory analysis of about 200 households and 50 offices that took part in dynamic price experiment in Kitakyushu, Japan. Based on the above, the effects of dynamic pricing on the cost performance of buildings in present scenario and demand response scenario have been presented. What\u27s more, this paper also gives an analysis and evaluation of electricity dynamic pricing in different buildings which equipped with different energy saving technologies under the condition that if consumers do not well respond to dynamic pricing as anticipated.北九州市立大