This book provides a comprehensive overview on the latest developments in the control, operation, and protection of microgrids. It provides readers with a solid approach to analyzing and understanding the salient features of modern control and operation management techniques applied to these systems, and presents practical methods with examples and case studies from actual and modeled microgrids. The book also discusses emerging concepts, key drivers and new players in microgrids, and local energy markets while addressing various aspects from day-ahead scheduling to real-time testing of microgrids. The book will be a valuable resource for researchers who are focused on control concepts, AC, DC, and AC/DC microgrids, as well as those working in the related areas of energy engineering, operations research and its applications to energy systems. Presents modern operation, control and protection techniques with applications to real world and emulated microgrids; Discusses emerging concepts, key drivers and new players in microgrids and local energy markets; Addresses various aspects from day-ahead scheduling to real-time testing of microgrids.

The main aim of this book is to have a complete discussion and details about micro grid and its applications including modeling of AC/DC and hybrid grid in a tied mode with simulation for the solar systems, wind turbine, bio mass and fuel cells and deployment issues.

This book addresses the emerging trend of smart grids in power systems. It discusses the advent of smart grids and selected technical implications; further, by combining the perspectives of researchers from Europe and South America, the book captures the status quo of and approaches to smart grids in a wide range of countries. It describes the basic concepts, enabling readers to understand the theoretical aspects behind smart grid formation, while also examining current challenges and philosophical discussions. Like the industrial revolution and the birth of the Internet, smart grids are certain to change the way people use electricity. In this regard, a new term – the “prosumer” – is used to describe consumers who may sometimes also be energy producers. This is particularly appealing if we bear in mind that most of the distributed power generation in smart grids does not involve carbon emissions. At first glance, the option of generating their own power could move consumers to leave their current energy provider. Yet the authors argue that doing so is not a wise choice: utilities will play a central role in this new scenario and should not be ignored.

Microgrids: Advanced Control Methods and Renewable Energy System Integration demonstrates the state-of-art of methods and applications of microgrid control, with eleven concise and comprehensive chapters. The first three chapters provide an overview of the control methods of microgrid systems that is followed by a review of distributed control and management strategies for the next generation microgrids. Next, the book identifies future research directions and discusses the hierarchical power sharing control in DC Microgrids. Chapter 4 investigates the demand side management in microgrid control systems from various perspectives, followed by an outline of the operation and controls of the smart microgrids in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 deals with control of low-voltage microgrids with master/slave architecture. The final chapters explain the load-Frequency Controllers for Distributed Power System Generation Units and the issue of robust control design for VSIs, followed by a communication solution denoted as power talk. Finally, in Chapter 11, real-time implementation of distributed control for an autonomous microgrid system is performed. Addresses issues of contemporary interest to practitioners in the power engineering and management fields Focuses on the role of microgrids within the overall power system structure and attempts to clarify the main findings relating to primary and secondary control and management at the microgrid level Provides results from a quantified assessment of benefits from economic, environmental, operational, and social point-of-views Presents the hierarchical control levels manifested in microgrid operations and evaluates the principles and main functions of centralized and decentralized control

Fuel Cell Micro-grids describes an energy supply method based on a network of two or more proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEM-FC). Such a network enables the effective use of exhaust heat, the simplification of the transmission network, the possibility of backup during disruptive hazards and the consideration of regional factors. Furthermore, green energy and renewable energy systems can be connected to the network, to function in cooperation with the fuel cells. For these reasons, it is believed that an increasing number of applications will make use of such fuel cell energy networks. Fuel Cell Micro-grids analyses the operation plan of these new energy supply methods using genetic algorithms. The book explains the results of the analysis of the optimization operation plan, energy cost, and greenhouse gas discharge characteristics for many application cases of the fuel cell network.

Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems and Microgrids covers the modeling and analysis for each type of integrated and operational hybrid energy system. Looking at the fundamentals for conventional energy systems, decentralized generation systems, RES technologies and hybrid integration of RES power plants, the most important contribution this book makes is combining emerging energy systems that improve micro and smart grid systems and their components. Sections cover traditional system characteristics, features, challenges and benefits of hybrid energy systems over the conventional power grid, the deployment of emerging power electronic technologies, and up-to-date electronic devices and systems, including AC and DC waveforms. Conventional, emerging and hierarchical control methods and technologies applied in microgrid operations are covered to give researchers and practitioners the information needed to ensure reliability, resilience and flexibility of implemented hybrid energy systems. Presents detailed contents on emerging power networks provided by decentralized and distributed generation approaches Covers driving factors, photovoltaic based power plant modeling and planning studies Introduces hierarchical control methods and technologies applied in microgrid operations to ensure reliability, resilience and flexibility of hybrid energy systems

This edited volume is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters offering a comprehensive overview of recent achievements in the field of micro-grids and electric power conversion. The book comprises single chapters authored by various researchers and is edited by a group of experts in such research areas. All chapters are complete in themselves but united under a common research study topic. This publication aims at providing a thorough overview of the latest research efforts by international authors on electric power conversion, micro-grids, and their up-to-the-minute technological advances and opens new possible research paths for further novel developments.