Internationalization in electricity distribution networks required for technolog y innovation and sustainability objectives

With the liberalization in the electricity markets, more and more European citizens have the freedom of choice for their electricity suppliers. This implies unbundling the transport function from the production–sales function. The monopolistic nature of the transport function, facilitated by the electricity network infrastructure, did lead to strongly regulated governance while the production–sales functions are subject to less regulation as they operate in the commercial domain. However, regulatory develop- ments are complemented by, on the one hand, technological developments that caused the advent of innovative decentralized electricity production and, on the other hand, environmental, sustainability concerns. In order to accommodate these developments, distribution networks should be made more responsive, that is, they have to become smart. To assure that this is implemented effectively (fit for purpose) and efficient (at an acceptable costs), harmonization and standardization is required. From a Euro- pean perspective, this leads to internationalization, and requires precise and agreed definitions on smart grids and smart metering on a European level.Infrastructures, Systems and ServicesTechnology, Policy and Managemen

Petrophysical Properties from small rock samples using Image Analysis techniques

Applied Science

Acceptance of Privacy-Sensitive Technologies: Smart Metering Case in The Netherlands

Over recent years there have been several initiatives around the world that aim to roll out smart metering systems, especially within North America and member states of the European Union. Smart metering systems, giving essential conditions for smart grids in the energy sector, can offer services aimed at achieving many different goals beyond the main task of metering electricity consumption of households. Despite the many advantages gained by the smart metering system, there is a number of serious issues that may lead to the system’s failure or inability to reach its goals. One such obstacle which can lead to consumers’ rejection of smart meters is perceived security and privacy violations of consumers’ information. The social rejection of smart meters poses a significant threat to a successful rollout and operation of the system as consumers represent a cornerstone in the fulfillment of goals such as energy efficiency and savings, by their active interaction with the smart meters. To investigate consumers’ perception of smart meters theories and models from the technology acceptance literature can be used for understanding consumers’ behaviors, and exploring possible factors that can have a significant impact on consumers’ acceptance and usage of a smart meter. In this paper, a first-stage hybrid model of a two well-known technology acceptance theories is presented. These theories are: the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technology- UTAUT, and Innovation Diffusion Theory- IDT. The hybrid model is further extended with additional acceptance determinants derived from the smart metering case in the Dutch context. The model aims to investigate determinants that can help shed the light on consumers’ perception of the system and its acceptance.Infrastructures, Systems and ServicesTechnology, Policy and Managemen

Acceptance of Privacy-Sensitive Infrastructure Systems: A Case of Smart Metering in The Netherlands

Over recent years there have been several initiatives around the world that aim to roll out smart metering systems, especially within North America and member states of the European Union. Smart metering systems, giving essential conditions for smart grids in the energy sector, can offer services aimed at achieving many different goals beyond the main task of metering electricity consumption of households. Despite the many advantages gained by the smart metering system, there is a number of serious issues that may lead to the system's failure or inability to reach its goals. One such obstacle which can lead to consumers' rejection of smart meters is perceived security and privacy violations of consumers' information. The social rejection of smart meters poses a significant threat to a successful rollout and operation of the system as consumers represent a cornerstone in the fulfillment of goals such as energy efficiency and savings, by their active interaction with the smart meters. To investigate consumers' perception of smart meters theories and models from the technology acceptance literature can be used for understanding consumers' behaviors, and exploring possible factors that can have a significant impact on consumers' acceptance and usage of a smart meter. In this paper, a first-stage hybrid model of a two well-known technology acceptance theories is presented. These theories are: the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technology-UTAUT, and Innovation Diffusion Theory-IDT. The hybrid model is further extended with additional acceptance determinants derived from the smart metering case in the Dutch context. The model aims to investigate determinants that can help shed the light on consumers' perception of the system and its acceptance.Energy & Industryold Economics of Technolog

Residential grid storage technology battles: a multi-criteria analysis using BWM

This article focuses on the battle for dominance between various battery technologies in the residential grid storage market (< 10 KWh) in the context of residential energy systems and the related home energy management systems. We focus on five major battery technologies that are available in the market (lithium-based batteries, lead-based batteries, flow batteries, nickel-based batteries, and sodium-based batteries). Based on a literature review and expert interviews, we study the factors for technology success in the residential grid storage market. By applying the best worst method (BWM), we assign the relative importance to the factors and predict which technology will have the highest chance of achieving success. We compare this to the technology that now has the highest market share and conclude that BWM is a useful method to indicate technology dominance in this market.Economics of Technology and InnovationTransport and Logistic

Home Energy Systems: the State of the Art

Smart home energy systems are technically possible to realize but are not yet applied on a large scale partly due to the fact that no common standards exist that enable interconnection of components that make up these smart energy systems. Multiple standards have been developed which are competing in standards battles. In this paper we conduct a step by step approach for the identification of these standards battles. By giving an overview of the different standards battles. This study aims to decrease uncertainty for firms and other stakeholders involved; firms may not be aware of the different standards battles that are being vied. The cases of standards battles that are arrived at in this paper may be used by academics as candidate cases for standards battles for the home energy management system and may form a point of departure for commercial stakeholders such as firms.Economics of Technology and InnovationEnergy & Industr

Utilisation of waste heat from PEM electrolysers: Unlocking local optimisation

Recovery of heat from electrolysers is potentially interesting to increase the total system efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, and increase the economic feasibility of both hydrogen and heat production. This study examines different designs for the utilisation of (waste) heat from a 2.5 MWel polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyser. Redundancy is important in the design, to ensure safe operation regardless of the heat demand of the heat consumer. We analysed cases with local heat consumption (with/without a heat pump) and coupling with a district heating network (DHN). Overall, 14–15% of the electricity input to the stack can be utilised by a heat consumer, increasing the total system efficiency to 90% (HHV) with CO2-savings of 0.08 (DHN)-0.28 (direct use) tonne CO2/MWhheat, used. We performed a first-order techno-economic analysis showing that the levelized costs of the electrolyser heat (8.4–36.9 €/MWh) fall within the range of other industrial heat sources and below lower-temperature heat sources.Sanitary EngineeringEconomics of Technology and InnovationEnergie and Industri

Introducing Power-to-H3: Combining renewable electricity with heat, water and hydrogen production and storage in a neighbourhood

In the transition from fossil to renewable energy, the energy system should become clean, while remaining reliable and affordable. Because of the intermittent nature of both renewable energy production and energy demand, an integrated system approach is required that includes energy conversion and storage. We propose a concept for a neighbourhood where locally produced renewable energy is partly converted and stored in the form of heat and hydrogen, accompanied by rainwater collection, storage, purification and use (Power-to-H3). A model is developed to create an energy balance and perform a techno-economic analysis, including an analysis of the avoided costs within the concept. The results show that a solar park of 8.7 MWp combined with rainwater collection and solar panels on roofs, can supply 900 houses over the year with heat (20 TJ) via an underground heat storage system as well as with almost half of their water demand (36,000 m3) and 540 hydrogen electric vehicles can be supplied with hydrogen (90 tonnes). The production costs for both hydrogen (8.7 €/kg) and heat (26 €/GJ) are below the current end user selling price in the Netherlands (10 €/kg and 34 €/GJ), making the system affordable. When taking avoided costs into account, the prices could decrease with 20–26%, while at the same time avoiding 3600 tonnes of CO2 a year. These results make clear that it is possible to provide a neighbourhood with all these different utilities, completely based on solar power and rainwater in a reliable, affordable and clean way.Sanitary EngineeringEconomics of Technology and InnovationEnergy Technolog

Realizing smart meter connectivity: Analyzing the competing technologies Power line communication, mobile telephony, and radio frequency using the best worst method

The world is faced with various societal challenges related to e.g. climate change and energy scarcity. To address these issues, complex innovative systems may be developed such as smart grids. When these systems are realized challenges pertaining to renewable energy and sustainability may, in part, be solved. To implement them, generally accepted common standards should be developed and used by firms and society so that the technological components can be connected and quality and safety requirements of smart grids and their governance can be guaranteed. This paper studies a subcomponent of the smart grid. Specifically, the paper studies competing technologies for a standard means of interface between the smart meter and the concentration point for collecting meter data. Three types of communication technologies for the interface are currently battling for standard dominance: Power line communication, Mobile telephony, and Radio frequency. Nine relevant standard dominance factors were found: operational supremacy, technological superiority, compatibility, flexibility, pricing strategy, timing of entry, current installed base, regulator, and suppliers. The Best-Worst Method was applied to calculate the factors’ relative weights. The results show that experts believe that Power line communication has a high chance of becoming dominant and that the most important factor affecting standard success is technological superiority. The relative weights per factor are explained and theoretical and practical contributions, limitations, and areas for further research are discussed.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Economics of Technology and InnovationTransport and Logistic

The Impact of System Integration on System Costs of a Neighborhood Energy and Water System

The fossil-based energy system is transitioning towards a renewable energy system. One important aspect is the spatial and temporal mismatch between intermitted supply and continuous demand. To ensure a reliable and affordable energy system, we propose an integrated system approach that integrates electricity production, mobility, heating of buildings and water management with a major role for storage and conversion. The minimization of energy transport in such an integrated system indicates the need for local optimization. This study focuses on a comparison between different novel system designs for neighborhood energy and water systems with varying modes of system integration, including all-electric, power-to-heat and power-to-hydrogen. A simulation model is developed to determine the energy and water balance and carry out economic analysis to calculate the system costs of various scenarios. We show that system costs are the lowest in a scenario that combines a hydrogen boiler and heat pumps for household heating; or a power-to-X system that combines power-to-heat, seasonal heat storage, and power-to-hydrogen (2070 €/household/year). Scenarios with electricity as the main energy carrier have higher retrofitting costs for buildings (insulation + heat pump), which leads to higher system costs (2320–2370 €/household/year) than more integrated systems. We conclude that diversification in energy carriers can contribute to a smooth transition of existing residential areas.Sanitary EngineeringEconomics of Technology and InnovationWater ResourcesGeo-engineeringEnergy Technolog