Renewable and Storage Energy Integration for Smart Grid Housing

This paper presents the design,implementation and testing of an embedded system that integrates solar and storage energy resources to smart homes within the smart microgrid.The proposed system provides the required home energy by installing renewable energy and storage devices.It also manages and schedules the power flow during peak and off-peak periods.In addition,a two-way communication protocol is developed to enable the home owners and the utility service provider to improve the energy flow and the consumption efficiency.The system can be an integral part for homes in a smart grid or smart microgrid power networks.A prototype for the proposed system was designed,implemented and tested by using a controlled load bank to simulate a scaled random real house consumption behavior.Three different scenarios were tested and the results and findings are reported.Moreover,data flow security among the home,home owners and utility server is developed to minimize cyber-attacks.     

Electronic Controlled Energy Storage Devices and Applications in Future Smart Grid

The electric industry is being transformed from a centralized network to one that is less centralized and allows more consumer interaction in the form of a smart grid.     

Real-Time Control System Adopted to Energy Storage for Smart Grid Low Wind Applications: A Part of Distributed Renewables in Smart City

In this paper, extensive efforts have been undertaken to design and develop a control system, which is incorporated with an energy storage device that can store energy from low-voltage renewable sources. The developed device acts as a storage element, which can be used to charge small-scale batteries, cellular devices, and other applications in remote places where the grid connection is not available. The circuit is developed using a case-by-case analysis. In order to solve the low output voltage problem, a bipolar junction transistor-metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (BJT-MOSFET) based switch control technology with the Arduino microcontroller has been implemented. The developed control system is extremely efficient in charging batteries through a supercapacitor for low-voltage sources. In this research, a small-scale 200-W portable vertical axis wind turbine is used at a wind speed of 3 m/s. The result shows the efficiency of the proposed system as compared with the conventional systems. The proposed system can be an important tool of the latest distributed energy generation technology which is an important part of a smart city. Lastly, the limitations and future scopes of the development of the control device are discussed for the future barrier. An important future scope identified is to integrate the Internet of Things based mobile interface for remote monitoring for any kind of pandemic situation like COVID-19. Now, it is high time to get our smart city concept aligned with the post COVID pandemic situation and get us prepared smartly for similar future occurrences.     

Broadband Modulation,Self-Driven,and Self-Cleaning Smart Photovoltaic Windows for High Efficiency Energy Saving Buildings

Smart photovoltaic windows (SPWs) are an emerging green technology presenting energy-saving by combining solar irradiance regulation and solar energy harvesting. The SPWs integrating extraordinary energy-saving performance, stable and controllable operational mode, and diverse functionality are essential for devising high efficiency energy-saving buildings (ESBs). However, the attainment of such features has yet to be realized in current iterations of SPWs. Herein, a conceptual demonstration of a split-type broadband modulation, self-driven, and self-cleaning SPWs is presented by coupling a silicon solar cell with a multifunctional chromogenic unit (MCU) for creating highly efficient ESBs. Within the multilayer structured MCU, thermal-responsive polymer stabilized liquid crystal (PSLC) and VO₂@SiO₂ nanoparticles act as chromic component, enabling broadband light modulation. Thanks to the excellent electrothermal effect of indium tin oxide (ITO), the phase transition of PSLC and VO₂@SiO₂ nanoparticles can be induced by the electrical power output generated by the silicon solar cell. Therefore, the transparency of SPWs can be manipulated according to the occupant's preference during the daytime. Moreover, a superhydrophobic SiO₂ coating provides SPWs with self-cleaning capability which effectively reduces water resource consumption and eliminates the inconvenience of window cleaning, while providing occupants with a clear view even in complex weather conditions.     

From Glutinous-Rice-Inspired Adhesive Organohydrogels to Flexible Electronic Devices Toward Wearable Sensing,Power Supply,and Energy Storage

Flexible electronic devices (FEDs) based on hydrogels are attracting increasing interest, but the fabrication of hydrogels for FEDs with adhesiveness and high robustness in harsh-temperature conditions and long-term use remains a challenge. Herein, glutinous-rice-inspired adhesive organohydrogels are developed by introducing amylopectin into a copolymer network through a “one-pot” crosslinking procedure in a glycerol–water mixed solvent containing potassium chloride as the conductive ingredient. The organohydrogels exhibit excellent transparency (>90%), conductivity, stretchability, tensile strength, adhesiveness, anti-freezing property, and moisture retention ability. The wearable strain sensor assembled from the organohydrogels achieves a wide working range, high sensitivity (gauge factor: 8.82), low response time, and excellent reversibility, and properly responds in harsh-temperature conditions and long-time storage (90 days). The strain sensor is further integrated with a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver for fabricating wireless wearable sensors. Notably, a sandwich-structured capacitive pressure sensor with organohydrogels containing reliefs as electrodes records a new gauge factor of 9.43 kPa^?1 and achieves a wide response range, low detection limit, and outstanding reversibility. Furthermore, detachable and durable batteries and all-in-one supercapacitors are also fabricated utilizing the organohydrogels as electrolytes. Overall, this work offers a strategy to fabricate adhesive organohydrogels for robust FEDs toward wearable sensing, power supply, and energy storage.     

Reversibly Compressible,Highly Elastic,and Durable Graphene Aerogels for Energy Storage Devices under Limiting Conditions

High porosity combined with mechanical durability in conductive materials is in high demand for special applications in energy storage under limiting conditions, and it is fundamentally important for establishing a relationship between the structure/chemistry of these materials and their properties. Herein, polymer‐assisted self‐assembly and cross‐linking are combined for reduced graphene oxide (rGO)‐based aerogels with reversible compressibility, high elasticity, and extreme durability. The strong interplay of cross‐linked rGO (x‐rGO) aerogels results in high porosity and low density due to the re‐stacking inhibition and steric hinderance of the polymer chains, yet it makes mechanical durability and structural bicontinuity possible even under compressive strains because of the coupling of directional x‐rGO networks with polymer viscoelasticity. The x‐rGO aerogels retain >140% and >1400% increases in the gravimetric and volumetric capacitances, respectively, at 90% compressive strain, showing reversible change and stability of the volumetric capacitance under both static and dynamic compressions; this makes them applicable to energy storage devices whose volume and mass must be limited.     

Engineering the Thermal Conductivity of Functional Phase‐Change Materials for Heat Energy Conversion,Storage, and Utilization

Thermal energy storage technologies based on phase‐change materials (PCMs) have received tremendous attention in recent years. These materials are capable of reversibly storing large amounts of thermal energy during the isothermal phase transition and offer enormous potential in the development of state‐of‐the‐art renewable energy infrastructure. Thermal conductivity plays a vital role in regulating the thermal charging and discharging rate of PCMs and improving the heat‐utilization efficiency. The strategies for tuning the thermal conductivity of PCMs and their potential energy applications, such as thermal energy harvesting and storage, thermal management of batteries, thermal diodes, and other forms of energy utilization, are summarized systematically. Furthermore, a research perspective is given to highlight emerging research directions of engineering advanced functional PCMs for energy applications.