Improving Wind Farm Dispatchability Using Model Predictive Control for Optimal Operation of Grid-Scale Energy Storage

This paper demonstrates the use of model-based predictive control for energy storage systems to improve the dispatchability of wind power plants. Large-scale wind penetration increases the variability of power flow on the grid, thus increasing reserve requirements. Large energy storage systems collocated with wind farms can improve dispatchability of the wind plant by storing energy during generation over-the-schedule and sourcing energy during generation under-the-schedule, essentially providing on-site reserves. Model predictive control (MPC) provides a natural framework for this application. By utilizing an accurate energy storage system model, control actions can be planned in the context of system power and state-of-charge limitations. MPC also enables the inclusion of predicted wind farm performance over a near-term horizon that allows control actions to be planned in anticipation of fast changes, such as wind ramps. This paper demonstrates that model-based predictive control can improve system performance compared with a standard non-predictive, non-model-based control approach. It is also demonstrated that secondary objectives, such as reducing the rate of change of the wind plant output (i.e., ramps), can be considered and successfully implemented within the MPC framework. Specifically, it is shown that scheduling error can be reduced by 81%, reserve requirements can be improved by up to 37%, and the number of ramp events can be reduced by 74%.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the author(s) and published by MDPI. The published article can be found at: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies.Keywords: reserve generation, energy storage, wind generation, model predictive control (MPC), wind ramp

Wave Energy Converter Modeling in the Frequency Domain : A Design Guide

Wave energy converter research continues to advance and new developers are continuing to emerge, leading to the need for a general modeling methodology. This work attempts to outline the design methodology necessary to perform frequency domain analysis on a generic wave energy converter. A two-body point absorber representing a generic popular design was chosen and a general procedure is presented showing the process to obtain first pass preliminary performance results. The result is a design guide that new developers can adapt to their particular design and wave conditions, which will provide the first steps toward a cost of energy estimate. This will serve the industry by providing a sound methodology to accelerate the new development of wave energy converters

Real-Time Nonlinear Model Predictive Controller for Multiple Degrees of Freedom Wave Energy Converters with Non-Ideal Power Take-Off

An increase in wave energy converter (WEC) efficiency requires not only consideration of the nonlinear effects in the WEC dynamics and the power take-off (PTO) mechanisms, but also more integrated treatment of the whole system, i.e., the buoy dynamics, the PTO system, and the control strategy. It results in an optimization formulation that has a nonquadratic and nonstandard cost functional. This article presents the application of real-time nonlinear model predictive controller (NMPC) to two degrees of freedom point absorber type WEC with highly nonlinear PTO characteristics. The nonlinear effects, such as the fluid viscous drag, are also included in the plant dynamics. The controller is implemented on a real-time target machine, and the WEC device is emulated in real-time using the WECSIM toolbox. The results for the successful performance of the design are presented for irregular waves under linear and nonlinear hydrodynamic conditions

Toward Models of Impact and Recovery of the US Western Grid from Earthquake Events

A Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake will cause widespread damage to numerous lifelines and infrastructure along the northern US west coast. The goal of the presented research is to provide a bottom up estimate of the impact on and subsequent recovery of a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake on the US western grid to supplement and enhance the expert opinion estimates provided to date. The scope is limited to only consideration of shaking damage to utility substation equipment components of a power system model. The analysis utilizes probabilistic models of damage and recovery for substation power system assets, along with graph techniques for modeling connectivity, and Monte Carlo quasi steady state power flow solutions. The results show that a conservative estimate of the initial damage and loss of load is approximately 4000 MW, with a recovery estimate of 230 days

Wave Tank Testing and Model Validation of an Autonomous Wave Energy Converter

A key component in bringing ocean wave energy converters from concept to commercialization is the building and testing of scaled prototypes to provide model validation. A one quarter scale prototype of an autonomous two body heaving point absorber was modeled, built, and tested for this work. Wave tank testing results are compared with two hydrodynamic and system models—implemented in both ANSYS AQWA and MATLAB/Simulink—and show model validation over certain regions of operation. This work will serve as a guide for future developers of wave energy converter devices, providing insight in taking their design from concept to prototype stage.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the author(s) and published by MDPI. The published article can be found at: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/energiesKeywords: wave energy converter, numerical modeling, physical modelin

Impacts of Earthquakes on Electrical Grid Resilience

One of the most complex and devastating disaster scenarios that the U.S.~Pacific Northwest region and the state of Oregon faces is a large magnitude Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake event. The region's electrical grid lacks in resilience against the destruction of a megathrust earthquake, a powerful tsunami, hundreds of aftershocks and increased volcanic activity, all of which are highly probable components of this hazard. This research seeks to catalyze further understanding and improvement of resilience. By systematizing power system related experiences of historical earthquakes, and collecting practical and innovative ideas from other regions on how to enhance network design, construction, and operation, important steps are being taken toward a more resilient, earthquake-resistant grid. This paper presents relevant findings in an effort to be an overview and a useful guideline for those who are also working towards greater electrical grid resilience.Comment: Accepted by the "2021 57th IEEE Industrial and Commercial Power System Conference" for presentation and publicatio

An anti-windup mechanism for state constrained linear control of wave energy conversion systems: Design, synthesis, and experimental assessment

Motivated by the necessity of suitable state constraint mechanisms within linear time-invariant (LTI) energy-maximising control of wave energy converters (WECs), we present, in this paper, an anti-windup (AW) scheme for state constraint satisfaction, where the associated unconstrained controller is designed via impedance-matching theory for WEC systems. As in the standard (input) AW scenario, the adopted technique provides a mechanism for ‘informing’ the (unconstrained) controller when constraints are active, so that appropriate modifications to future control actions can be taken accordingly. The overall adopted AW technique is tested experimentally, on a prototype of the Wavestar WEC system, available at Aalborg University (Denmark). We explicitly demonstrate that the proposed AW scheme is able to consistently respect the defined state constraints, having a mild impact on overall energy absorption performance when compared to its unconstrained counterpart.Fil: Faedo, Nicolás. Politecnico di Torino; ItaliaFil: Carapellese, Fabio. Politecnico di Torino; ItaliaFil: Papini, Guglielmo. Politecnico di Torino; ItaliaFil: Pasta, Edoardo. Politecnico di Torino; ItaliaFil: Mosquera, Facundo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señales; ArgentinaFil: Ferri, Francesco. Aalborg University; DinamarcaFil: Brekken, Ted K. A.. State University of Oregon; Estados Unido

Connecting Risk and Resilience for a Power System Using the Portland Hills Fault Case Study

Active seismic faults in the Pacific Northwest area have encouraged electric utilities in the region to deeply contemplate and proactively intervene to support grid resilience. To further this effort this research introduces Monte Carlo (MC)-based power system modeling as a means to inform the Performance Based Earthquake Engineering method and simulates 100,000 sample earthquakes of a 6.8 magnitude (M6.8) Portland Hills Fault (PHF) scenario in the Portland General Electric (PGE) service territory as a proof of concept. This paper also proposes the resilience metric Seismic Load Recovery Factor (SLRF) to quantify the recovery of a downed power system and thus can be used to quantify earthquake economic risk. Using MC results, the SLRF was evaluated to be 19.7 h and the expected economic consequence cost of a M6.8 PHF event was found to be $180 million with an annualized risk of$90,000 given the event’s 1 in 2000 year probability of occurrence. The MC results also identified the eight most consequential substations in the PGE system—i.e., those that contributed to maximum load loss. This paper concludes that retrofitting these substations reduced the expected consequence cost of a M6.8 PHF event to $117 million