Measurement and verification of zero energy settlements: Lessons learned from four pilot cases in Europe

Measurement and verification (M&V) has become necessary for ensuring intended design performance. Currently, M&V procedures and calculation methods exist for the assessment of Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) for existing buildings, with a focus on reliable baseline model creation and savings estimation, as well as for reducing the computation time, uncertainties, and M&V costs. There is limited application of rigorous M&V procedures in the design, delivery and operation of low/zero energy dwellings and settlements. In the present paper, M&V for four pilot net-zero energy settlements has been designed and implemented. The M&V has been planned, incorporating guidance from existing protocols, linked to the project development phases, and populated with lessons learned through implementation. The resulting framework demonstrates that M&V is not strictly linked to the operational phase of a project but is rather an integral part of the project management and development. Under this scope, M&V is an integrated, iterative process that is accompanied by quality control in every step. Quality control is a significant component of the M&V, and the proposed quality control procedures can support the preparation and implementation of automated M&V. The proposed framework can be useful to project managers for integrating M&V into the project management and development process and explicitly aligning it with the rest of the design and construction procedures

A Simple Multi-Parameter Method for Efficient Charging Scheduling of Electric Vehicles

In this article, a method for the efficient charging of electric vehicles (EVs) at the parking lot (PL) level, including V2G operation and taking into account lifetime of EV batteries, distribution network and local transformer loading, is proposed. The main targets of the method are to minimize the total charging cost of the PLs hosting the EVs and to satisfy all technical and operation constraints of EVs and PLs. The proposed method exploits particle swarm optimization (PSO) to derive the charging schedule of the EVs. The proposed method is compared with conventional charging strategies, where the EVs are charged with the maximum power of their charging power converter or the average power required to achieve their state-of-charge target, and a conventional charging scheduling method using the aggregated behavior of the plug-in EVs. Real-world data series of electricity price and parking lot activity were used. The results obtained from the study of indicative operation scenarios prove the effectiveness of the proposed method, while no sophisticated computing, measurement and communication systems are required for its application

Development of a Microcontroller-Based Photovoltaic Maximum Power Point Tracking Control System

Abstract-Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is used in photovoltaic (PV) systems to maximize the photovoltaic array output power, irrespective of the temperature and irradiation conditions and of the load electrical characteristics. A new MPPT system has been developed, consisting of a Buck-type dc/dc converter, which is controlled by a microcontroller-based unit. The main difference between the method used in the proposed MPPT system and other techniques used in the past is that the PV array output power is used to directly control the dc/dc converter, thus reducing the complexity of the system. The resulting system has high-efficiency, lower-cost and can be easily modified to handle more energy sources (e.g., wind-generators). The experimental results show that the use of the proposed MPPT control increases the PV output power by as much as 15% compared to the case where the dc/dc converter duty cycle is set such that the PV array produces the maximum power at 1 kW/m 2 and 25 C

Optimal PV system dimensioning with obstructed solar radiation

Δημοσίευση σε επιστημονικό περιοδικόSummarization: This paper describes an analytical methodology for the optimised design of stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems installed at locations where the solar radiation is considerably shortened by obstacles, i.e. at the bottom of a gorge. A method for the computation of the real available solar energy incident on the PV panel is proposed, based on easily conducted measurements. The optimum tilt of the PV array, under such conditions, is obtained and a dimensioning procedure provides the optimal size of the PV-array/storage. The resulting system is tested by a verification routine. A case study, employing the complete algorithm proposed, is illustrated.Presented on: Renewable Energ

Development of Demand Response Energy Management Optimization at Building and District Levels Using Genetic Algorithm and Artificial Neural Network Modelling Power Predictions

Demand Response (DR) is a fundamental aspect of the smart grid concept, as it refers to the necessary open and transparent market framework linking energy costs to the actual grid operations. DR allows consumers to directly or indirectly participate in the markets where energy is being exchanged. One of the main challenges for engaging in DR is associated with the initial assessment of the potential rewards and risks under a given pricing scheme. In this paper, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimisation model, using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) power predictions for day-ahead energy management at the building and district levels, is proposed. Individual building and building group analysis is conducted to evaluate ANN predictions and GA-generated solutions. ANN-based short term electric power forecasting is exploited in predicting day-ahead demand, and form a baseline scenario. GA optimisation is conducted to provide balanced load shifting and cost-of-energy solutions based on two alternate pricing schemes. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach for assessing DR load shifting options based on a Time of Use pricing scheme. Through the analysis of the results, the practical benefits and limitations of the proposed approach are addressed