Low-carbon Energy Transition and Planning for Smart Grids

With the growing concerns of climate change and energy crisis, the energy transition from fossil-based systems to a low-carbon society is an inevitable trend. Power system planning plays an essential role in the energy transition of the power sector to accommodate the integration of renewable energy and meet the goal of decreasing carbon emissions while maintaining the economical, secure, and reliable operations of power systems. In this thesis, a low-carbon energy transition framework and strategies are proposed for the future smart grid, which comprehensively consider the planning and operation of the electricity networks, the emission control strategies with the carbon response of the end-users, and carbon-related trading mechanisms. The planning approach considers the collaborative planning of different types of networks under the smart grid context. Transportation electrification is considered as a key segment in the energy transition of power systems, so the planning of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen refueling infrastructure for fuel cell electric vehicles is jointly solved with the electricity network expansion. The vulnerability assessment tools are proposed to evaluate the coupled networks towards extreme events. Based on the carbon footprint tracking technologies, emission control can be realized from both the generation side and the demand side. The operation of the low-carbon oriented power system is modeled in a combined energy and carbon market, which fully considers the carbon emission right trading and renewable energy certificates trading of the market participants. Several benchmark systems have been used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed planning approach. Comparative studies to existing approaches in the literature, where applicable, have also been conducted. The simulation results verify the practical applicability of this method

Challenges and pathways of low-carbon oriented energy transition and power system planning strategy: a review

This paper provides an overview of the challenges and pathways involved in achieving a low-carbon-oriented energy transition roadmap and power system planning strategy. The transition towards low-carbon energy sources is crucial in mitigating the global climate change crisis. However, this transition presents several technical, economic, and political challenges. The paper emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach to power system planning that considers the entire energy system (including both physical and information systems and market mechanisms) and not just individual technologies. To achieve this goal, the paper discusses various pathways toward low-carbon energy transition, including the integration of renewable energy sources into current energy systems, energy efficiency measures, and market-based and regulatory strategies encompassing the implementation of regulations, standards, and policies. Furthermore, the paper underscores the need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to energy planning, taking into account the socio-economic and political dimensions of the transition process. In addition, the paper reviews the methodologies used in modeling low-carbon-oriented power system planning, including both model-based methods and advanced machine learning-assisted solutions. Overall, the paper concludes that achieving a low-carbon-oriented energy transition roadmap and power system planning strategy requires a multi-dimensional approach that considers technical, economic, political, and social factors

Experimental dynamic performance of an Aluminium-MRE shallow shell

© 2020 Techno-Press, Ltd. http:/www.techno-press.org/?journal=sss & subpage=7 The nonlinear dynamics of a directly forced clamped-clamped-free-free magneto-rheological elastomer (MRE) sandwich shell has been experimentally investigated. Experiments have been conducted on an aluminium shallow shell (shell A) and an MRE-aluminium sandwich shallow shell with single curvature (shell B). An electrodynamic shaker has been used to directly force shells A and B in the vicinity of their fundamental resonance frequency; a laser displacement sensor has been used to measure the vibration amplitude to construct the frequency-response curves. It was observed that for an aluminium shell (shell A), that at small forcing amplitudes, a weak softening-type nonlinear behaviour was observed, however, at higher forcing amplitudes the nonlinear dynamical behaviour shifted and a strong hardening-type response occurred. For the MRE shell (shell B), the effect of forcing amplitude showed softening at low magnetic fields and hardening for medium magnetic fields; it was also observed the mono-curved MRE sandwich shell changed dynamics to quasiperiodic displacement at some frequencies, from a periodic displacement. The presence of a magnetic field, initial curvature, and forcing amplitude has significant qualitative and quantitative effects on the nonlinear dynamical response of a mono curved MRE sandwich shell