Simulation Analysis for Massive Deployment of Variable Renewables Employing an Optimal Power Generation Mix Model

This paper develops a high time-resolution optimal power generation mix model in its time resolution of 10 minutes on 365 days by linear programming technique. The model allows us to analyse the massive deployment of photovoltaic system and wind power generation in power system explicitly considering those short-term output variation. PV （photovoltaic） and wind output are estimated, employing meteorological database. Simulation results reveal that variable fluctuation derived from a high penetration level of those renewables is controlled by quick load following operation of natural gas combined cycle power plant, pumped-storage hydro power, stationary NAS （sodium and sulfur） battery and the output suppression control of PV and wind. It additionally turns out that the operational configuration of those technologies for the renewable variability differs significantly depending on those renewable output variations in each season and solving the seasonal electricity imbalance as well as the daily imbalance is important if variable renewables are massively deployed.     

Germany＇s Energy Transition and the European Electricity Market： Mutually Beneficial？

Germany＇s energy system is in transition towards less nuclear, lower carbon emissions and more renewables. Notwithstanding widespread neglect of its European dimension, this Energiewende will further exacerbate current network fluctuations due to the significant increase in wind and solar power. Key data from Denmark show that this transition will soon bring the German national power system to its limits for absorbing the resulting intermittency, and increase the need for more cross-border power transfers. Yet network analysis of import/export data shows that Germany＇s position in the European power system is contrary to the Danish case. The need for a European solution for Germany＇s energy transition will therefore soon become evident. In order to establish the necessary infrastructure, the Energiewende needs hence to be guided by an economic approach designed to prevent further fractures in the Internal Electricity Market. Constructive negotiations with neighbouring countries on market designs and price signals will be important preconditions. The article emphasizes the still neglected European paradox of Germany＇s energy transition and presents working examples and possible solutions to uphold electricity supply in Europe＇s power house.     

Feasibility of Wind Power Generation for the Reduction of Power Costs in Residential Buildings

The installation of wind power generators on buildings located in areas with regular winds may be a suitable investment in a renewable power source. Brazil has a high eolic potential, where the annual mean wind speed may reach over eight meters per second. This case study is aimed to assess the economic feasibility of the installation of small wind power plants in urban areas. This work evaluates a project for the installation of a vertical axis wind turbine in three buildings （15-, 22-, and 26-story） including the following stages： （1） installation of a real-time power meter in the 15-store unit; （2） demand analysis of the 26-store building＇s power consumption; （3） winds survey along the coast of the State of Ceara; （4） analysis of the wind turbines available in the market; （5） simulation aimed to choose the system. Vertical wind power generators offer better conditions of use in urban areas. The turnover time was established to be between four and six years in the three studied units. The installation of a wind power generator on buildings in regions with an adequate eolic regimen reaches a financial return of the investment before the end of the equipment＇s lifespan.     

Design of Capacitor Bank in Parallel to Photovoltaic Power Plant

The purpose of the paper is to develop a solution for application of PV （photovoltaic） generators in MV （medium voltage） distribution system without unacceptable voltage changes due to drops of PV power output. The proposed solution includes operation of PV with predetermined leading power factor and addition of a capacitor bank in parallel to PV plant in order to compensate the reactive power absorbed by the PV inverters. The analytical expression of required power factor angle is derived. Adding a capacitor bank in parallel to PV power plant may pose a problem because of space limitations. The dimensions and cost of small MV capacitor banks depend significantly on the capacitor bank protection against internal faults. Application of the developed negative-sequence current difference method for the unbalance protection of the capacitor banks enables to achieve a compact and cost-reduced design of the banks connected in parallel to PV power plants. A real-world example of operation of the PV plant in parallel to the capacitor bank with the novel protection scheme is described.     

Impact of Wind Power on the ATC Values in Hydro-Dominated Power System

The wind power generation is increasing in many countries as a result of decreasing technology costs, active government policies for renewable energy sources, environmental concerns, etc.. This paper investigates the impact of wind power generation on ATC （available transmission capacity） calculation. In order to determine the maximum incremental MW transfer possible between two parts of a power system without violating any specified limits, ATCs are calculated. When calculating ATC values, it is necessary to assume production and consumption pattern in power system. Production of wind power depends on the wind speed, which is a random variable and it is impossible to forecast exactly the production of wind power that is needed for the ATCs calculation. In order to investigate influence of the stochastic wind power production on the ATCs value, computer model of Croatian electric power system is made in Power World Simulator. ATCs are calculated for southern part of Croatian power system in which besides wind power, hydro power plants are only type of power generation. Available wind speed measurements are used as input data for wind power production. The results of the ATC calculation for different scenario of wind power production and location in the Southern Croatian power system are presented and discussed in the paper.     

Examination for Experimental Verification of Improvement of Power Quality in Distribution System by PCS

In the future, the power quality will decrease by the introduction of a lot of renewable energy sources. The topic of this research is a new method of operation of PCS （power conditioning systems） in the future distribution system. The purpose of this research is development of PCS with a function of improvement of the distribution system. Therefore, the authors propose a method of the power quality improvement of the distribution system by PCS. In addition, the authors construct the control logic to use in PCS The control logic suggests adding harmonic restraint function to conventional control. These were verified by simulation and an experiment. As the results, we confirmed that basic operation of PCS being carried out, harmonics were restrained, and power quality had improved.     

Advanced Reactive Power Control at Individual Residences to Smooth Energy Loss Fluctuation for a Clustered Grid-Interconnected PV System

Reactive power control can control voltage within the proper range from the power network side or from the distribution generation （PV （photovoltaic）） side. Reactive power control from the power network side is simpler because little controlled object apparatus, such as STATCOM, is required. However, it is difficult to optimize the individual voltages of residential consumers because few data have been obtained by the power network side as compared with the power generation side. Energy loss at each residence with PV is different due to the difference in the grid-interconnection condition, such as distribution line impedance when the same operating voltage is set at all residences. Therefore, in this paper, the authors propose an advanced reactive power control method for residential PV systems in order to optimally control the voltage at individual residences so as to minimize energy loss fluctuation. The effectiveness of the proposed reactive power control is demonstrated by numerical simulation.     

Power System Modelling and Fault Analysis of NamPower＇s 330 kV HVAC Transmission Line

Electric power systems usually cover large geographical areas and transmission facilities are continuously increasing. These power systems are exposed to different environmental conditions which may cause faults to occur on the system. Different types of studies are usually done on electric power systems to determine how the system behaves before, during and after a fault condition. The behaviour of variables of interest such as currents, voltage, rotor angle and active and reactive power under fault conditions are studied and observed to help determine possible causes of faults in a power system. The objective of this paper is to investigate a fault that occurred on the 330 kV transmission line between Ruacana power station and Omburu sub-station, the fault caused all the generators at Ruacana power station to trip and consequently caused a blackout at the power station that lasted for 6 h. Preliminary findings showed that the observed fault was an earth fault but the exact type of earth fault was however not known at the time. This research investigation sets out to determine the exact fault that occurred; the most probable cause of the fault, and propose possible solutions to prevent reoccurrence of such a fault. The section of the power network in which the fault occurred was modelled using DigSilent Power Factory software tool, and transient fault analysis was carried out on the model for different fault conditions. Results obtained were then compared with data obtained from NamPower records to ascertain the type of fault.     

Comparison between Current Technologies for the Best Choice of Thermoelectric Plant with Coal or Uranium

Between the alternative sources available for the electricity production, still lacks reliability for the production in base units. For the electricity production from 500 MW to 1,000 MW or more, the coal-fired thermal and nuclear power plants with uranium have proved competitive and with a high level of reliability and maturation, besides presenting the fuel supply security. This paper presents an analysis of technical feasibility for the choice of the best technology for generating electricity on a large scale, based on coal-fired thermal or nuclear power plant using uranium. This paper takes in account the availability of fuel sources, investments costs, thermal power generation systems, pollutants emission and mitigation technologies, global efficiency, fuel consumption, costs of electricity, construction time and an average lifespan of the installation. Thus the analysis allows the most rational choice of technology for the production of electricity with lower electricity costs and lower COz emissions.     

Electromagnetic Zero-Sequence Harmonics Blocker： Modeling and Experimental Analysis

This paper reveals new contributions to the analysis and development of devices for harmonic distortion mitigation. Considering the sequential distribution of harmonic currents, zero-sequence components could be diminished using electromagnetic devices, particularly the eZSB （electromagnetic zero-sequence blocking）. One important characteristic of this device, which has received particular attention on this research, is its robustness and low cost of construction. Theoretical and experimental results related to the behavior of the electromagnetic blocking devices are presented. The results illustrate the consistence of the theoretical aspects related with the model in the frequency domain, as well as the performance of the blocking devices, reducing zero-sequence harmonic currents, mainly by the conjunct action of the eZSF （electromagnetic zero-sequence harmonic filter）, working as a impedance coupler. In this context, aiming the evaluation of the reliability of the results obtained through mathematical modeling, experimental tests have been carried out using a low-power prototype, highlighting particular aspects related to its function as a zero-sequence harmonic blocker.     

A Magnetron Power Supply with Transition-Mode Zero-Voltage-Switching Inverter

This paper presents a transition-mode zero-voltage-switching inverter for the cooker magnetron of household microwave ovens. The inverter drives a leakage transformer to generate the required high voltage and stabilized current. For achieving zero-voltage switching, a transition-mode driver L6561 is utilized to detect the ending of transformer resonance and drive an insulated-gate-bipolar-transistor. As transistor is conducted, rectified direct-current voltage drives the transformer. While transistor is cut off, transformer resonates with a parallel capacitor. Transistor conduction time and magnetron power are controlled with a 16-bit digital signal controller dsPIC30F4011. For widening the working range, transistor conduction time is set to be inversely changed with line-frequency input voltage. To demonstrate the analysis and design of this paper, a 1 kW inverter circuit is built. Experimental results show the feasibility and usefulness of the designed magnetron power supply.     

Software Tool for the Implementation of the Methodology for Revitalization of High-Voltage Overhead Power Lines

In power systems, a large number of OPLs （overhead power lines） are more than 40 years old and some even exceed 50 years old. The key issue for power systems managers, public utilities companies and electrical engineers today concerns the manner in which available financial resources should be invested in these OPLs to provide the greatest impact on the power system as a whole and to address the OPLs that require urgent revitalization. This paper presents the application of the software tool RevOPL, developed using Microsoft Access utilizing the ＂methodology for revitalization of high-voltage OPLs＂. The aim is to present both the methodology and software to objectively evaluate the condition of an OPL and determine its remaining service life. The application of this software tool provides a proposal for the scheduling and scope of planned revitalization activities, which are obtained through the optimization of the technical characteristics while remaining within the available budget.     

Experimental Study of Condensation Heat Transfer on Tube Bundles in Large Power Plant Condensers

In order to clarify the effect of condensate inundation on steam condensation in a large tube bundle, condensation heat transfer and the condensate flow pattern in the tube bundle have been experimentally investigated. Test tube bundle consists of 36 cooling tubes, 12 condensate supply tubes and 24 un-cooled dummy tubes. Cooling test tubes are made of copper and have an outer diameter of 19.1 mm and condensing length of 150 mm, Steam flows horizontally through the test tube bundle at gap velocities 15-27 m/s at pressures of 8.8 kPa. In this study, experimental data about condensate flow pattern and condensation heat transfer in a tube bundle were collected for the optimization of tube arrangement in large power plant condensers.     

Development and Static Mode Characterization of a New Low-Loss AC Switch Based on Super-gain BJT

This paper deals with an innovative low-loss AC switch, named as TBBS （transistor based bidirectional switch）, based on the association of super-gain BJTs developed by the GREMAN laboratory. The main characterization results of the super-gain BJT are reminded to identify the key parameters that are essential to build the TBBS. A complete characterization database in static mode of this new AC switch is discussed. In particular, its forward and reverse-biased features have been measured to see the evolution of the DC current gain as a function of the current density. The TBBS makes sense when using the super-gain BJT （bipolar junction transistor） in reverse mode. It means that the reverse DC current gain has to be sufficient （at least higher than l compared with the conventional BJT one）. This new AC switch is bidirectional in current and voltage, totally controllable （turn-on and turn-off） and the most attractive solution in terms of on-state power losses. Further, its manufacturing process is as easier as existing device such as triac.     

Analysis of Short Circuit Faults in a System Fed by Wind Turbine

Short circuit and ground failures that are quite common in power transmission lines are investigated. These failures are designed considering a system that is supplied by this wind system, and analyses are interpreted. In the study, a system is set up and it is fed by the wind turbine. Furthermore, the mathematical model of wind turbine and generator is prepared and the results obtained from the simulation are evaluated. The short circuit and ground fault analyzes were performed separately for each of the three phases. ATP （alternative transient program）-EMTP （electromagnetic transients program） program is used in the analysis and the results obtained were found to be quite compatible.     

Potentialities of Renewable Energy in Victoria,Australia

In utility power system, electricity demand is being covered largely by fossil fueled power generation, which contributes high level of GHG （greenhouse gas） emission and causes global warming worldwide. In order to reduce GHG emission level, most of the countries in the world targeting towards green energy that is power generation from RE （renewable energy） sources. In this paper, it is considered to study prospects of RE sources in particular, solar and wind in Victoria State which are abundant as compared to other sources of renewable. The wind and solar energy feasibility study and sensitivity analysis has been done for Victoria with the aid of HOMER （hybrid optimization model of electric renewable） simulation software. From the study, it has clearly evicted that wind energy combinational HPS （hybrid power system） has more contribution, and high potential than solar PV （photovoltaic） systems for a particular location. This study also investigates the influences of energy storage in the proposed HPS.     

Reduced Model for Power System State Estimation Using Artificial Neural Networks

In this paper, a new technique using artificial neural networks for power system state estimation is presented. This method does not require network observability analysis and uses fewer measurement variables than conventional techniques. This approach has been successfully implemented on six-bus, 18-bus, IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 57-bus power systems and the results show that this method is very accurate and a lot faster than conventional techniques making it ideal for smart grid applications.     

High-Performance of Power System Based upon ANFIS （Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System） Controller

The proposed controller incorporates FL （fuzzy logic） algorithm with ANN （artificial neural network）. ANFIS replaces the conventional PI controller, tuning the fuzzy inference system with a hybrid learning algorithm. A tuning method is proposed for training of the neuro-fuzzy controller. The best rule base and the best training algorithm chosen produced high performance in the ANFIS controller. Simulation was done on Matlab Ver. 2010a. A case study was chopper-fed DC motor drive, in continuous and discrete modes. Satisfactory results show the ANFIS controller is able to control dynamic highly-nonlinear systems. Tuning it further improved the results.     

Connecting Wind Turbine Generator to Distribution Power Grid--A Preload Flow Calculation Stage

A distribution grid is generally characterized by a high R/X （resistance/reactance） ratio and it is radial in nature. By design, a distribution grid system is not an active network, and it is normally designed in such a way that power flows from transmission system via distribution system to consumers. But in a situation when wind turbines are connected to the distribution grid, the power source will change from one source to two sources, in this case, network is said to be active. This may probably have an impact on the distribution grid to whenever the wind turbine is connected. The best way to know the impact of wind turbine on the distribution grid in question is by carrying out load flow analysis on that system with and without the connection of wind turbines. Two major fundamental calculations： the steady-state voltage variation at the PCC （point of common coupling） and the calculation of short-circuit power of the grid system at the POC （point of connection） are necessary before carrying out the load flow study on the distribution grid. This paper, therefore, considers these pre-load flow calculations that are necessary before carrying out load flow study on the test distribution grid. These calculations are carded out on a test distribution system.     

Integrated Power Conversion for Multiple DC Voltage Sources and Its Power Quality

In a smart grid, electric loads are supplied by various DC （direct current） power sources, such as solar cells or batteries. On the other hand, traditional AC （alternating current） loads like a directly connected induction motors will also be used. In the circumstances, a smart power conversion unit is one of key components, which can integrate these DC or AC apparatus and trade power among them. Authors have developed an integrated power converter based on a well-known circuit topology of flying capacitor multilevel converter. This paper describes the detail of the circuit topology and its characteristics depending on designed parameters. The achieved power quality is also verified by simulation study.