Scheduling and Operation of Virtual Power Plants: Technical Challenges and Electricity Markets provides a multidisciplinary perspective on recent advances in VPPs, ranging from required infrastructures and planning to operation and control. The work details the required components in a virtual power plant, including smartness of power system, instrument and information and communication technologies (ICTs), measurement units, and distributed energy sources. Contributors assess the proposed benefits of virtual power plant in solving problems of distributed energy sources in integrating the small, distributed and intermittent output of these units. In addition, they investigate the likely technical challenges regarding control and interaction with other entities. Finally, the work considers the role of VPPs in electricity markets, showing how distributed energy resources and demand response providers can integrate their resources through virtual power plant concepts to effectively participate in electricity markets to solve the issues of small capacity and intermittency. The work is suitable for experienced engineers, researchers, managers and policymakers interested in using VPPs in future smart grids. - Explores key enabling technologies and infrastructures for virtual power plants in future smart energy systems - Reviews technical challenges and introduces solutions to the operation and control of VPPs, particularly focusing on control and interaction with other power system entities - Introduces the key integrating role of VPPs in enabling DER powered participative electricity markets

This textbook provides a detailed analysis of operation and planning problems faced by virtual power plants participating in different electricity markets. The chapters address in-depth, topics such as: optimization, market power, expansion, and modelling uncertainty in operation and planning problems of virtual power plants. The book provides an up-to-date description of decision-making tools to address challenging questions faced by virtual power plants such as: How can virtual power plants optimize their participation in electricity markets? How can a virtual power plant exercise market power? How can virtual power plants be optimally expanded? How can uncertainty be efficiently modelled in the operation and planning problems of virtual power plants? The book is written in a tutorial style and modular format, and includes many illustrative examples to facilitate comprehension. It is intended for a diverse audience including advanced undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of electric energy systems, operations research, and economics. Practitioners in the energy sector will also benefit from the concepts and techniques presented in this book. In particular, this book: Provides students with the GAMS codes to solve the examples in the book; Provides a basis for the formulation of decision-making problems under uncertainty; Contains a blend of theoretical concepts and practical applications that are developed as working algorithms.

This book provides a general overview of virtual power plants (VPP) as a key technology in future energy communities and active distribution and transmission networks for managing distributed energy resources, providing local and global services, and facilitating market participation of small-scale managing distributed energy resources and prosumers. The book also aims at describing some practical solutions, business models, and novel architectures for the implementation of VPPs in the real world. Each chapter of the book begins with the fundamental structure of the problem required for a rudimentary understanding of the methods described. It provides a clear picture for practical implementation of VPP through novel technologies such as blockchain, digital twin, and distributed ledger technology. The book will help the electrical and power engineers, undergraduate, graduate students, research scholars, and utility engineers to understand the emerging solutions regarding the VPP concept lucidly.

Nowadays, Smart Grid has become an established synonym for modern electric power systems. Electric networks are fed less and less by large, centrally planned fossil and nuclear power plants but more and more by millions of smaller, renewable and mostly weather-dependent generation units. A secure energy supply in such a sustainable and ecological system requires a completely different approach for planning, equipping and operating the electric power systems of the future, especially by using flexibility provisions of the network users according to the Smart Grid concept. The book brings together common themes beginning with Smart Grids and the characteristics of power plants based on renewable energy with highly efficient generation principles and storage capabilities. It covers the advanced technologies applied today in the transmission and distribution networks and innovative solutions for maintaining today’s high power quality under the challenging conditions of large-scale shares of volatile renewable energy sources in the annual energy balance. Besides considering the new primary and secondary technology solutions and control facilities for the transmission and distribution networks, prospective market conditions allowing network operators and the network users to gain benefits are also discussed. The growing role of information and communication technologies is investigated. The importance of new standards is underlined and the current international efforts in developing a consistent set of standards are updated in the second edition and described in detail. The updated presentation of international experiences to apply novel Smart Grid solutions to the practice of network operation concludes this book.

Power systems worldwide are going through a paradigm shift from centralized generation to distributed generation. This book presents the SYNDEM (i.e., synchronized and democratized) grid architecture and its technical routes to harmonize the integration of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, storage systems, and flexible loads, with the synchronization mechanism of synchronous machines, to enable autonomous operation of power systems, and to promote energy freedom. This is a game changer for the grid. It is the sort of breakthrough — like the touch screen in smart phones — that helps to push an industry from one era to the next, as reported by Keith Schneider, a New York Times correspondent since 1982. This book contains an introductory chapter and additional 24 chapters in five parts: Theoretical Framework, First-Generation VSM (virtual synchronous machines), Second-Generation VSM, Third-Generation VSM, and Case Studies. Most of the chapters include experimental results. As the first book of its kind for power electronics-enabled autonomous power systems, it • introduces a holistic architecture applicable to both large and small power systems, including aircraft power systems, ship power systems, microgrids, and supergrids • provides latest research to address the unprecedented challenges faced by power systems and to enhance grid stability, reliability, security, resiliency, and sustainability • demonstrates how future power systems achieve harmonious interaction, prevent local faults from cascading into wide-area blackouts, and operate autonomously with minimized cyber-attacks • highlights the significance of the SYNDEM concept for power systems and beyond Power Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems is an excellent book for researchers, engineers, and students involved in energy and power systems, electrical and control engineering, and power electronics. The SYNDEM theoretical framework chapter is also suitable for policy makers, legislators, entrepreneurs, commissioners of utility commissions, energy and environmental agency staff, utility personnel, investors, consultants, and attorneys.

Present energy systems are undergoing a radical transformation, driven by the urgent need to address the climate change crisis. At the same time, we are witnessing the sharp growth of energy data and a revolution of advanced technologies, with artificial intelligence (AI) and Blockchain emerging as two of the most transformative technologies of our time. The convergence of these two technologies has the potential to create a paradigm shift in the energy sector, enabling the development of smart energy systems that are more resilient, efficient, and sustainable. This book situates itself at the forefront of this paradigm shift, providing a timely and comprehensive guide to AI and Blockchain technologies in the energy system. Moving from an introduction to the basic concepts of smart energy systems, this book proceeds to examine the key challenges facing the energy system, and how AI and Blockchain can be used to address these challenges. Research examples are presented to showcase the role and impact of these new technologies, while the latest developed testbeds are summarised and explained to help researchers accelerate their development of these technologies. This book is an indispensable guide to the current changes in the energy system, being of particular use to industry professionals, from researchers to management, looking to stay ahead of technological developments.

This book analyzes the effects of power generated by renewable energy sources, renewable energy production technologies, energy efficiency, and market regulation of carbon emissions. It elaborates on how these parameters have direct and indirect effects on carbon emission reduction, such as the results of an environmental tax that could directly reduce carbon emissions by decreasing fossil fuel consumption or by stimulating energy savings through technological innovation, as well as how renewable energy sources can affect both economic growth and the environment. In addition to a detailed analysis of the interrelationships between renewable energy consumption, production technology, and market regulation, The Development of Renewable Energy Sources and its Significance for the Environment proposes a model for measuring the effectiveness and results of the interaction between these links. Furthermore, a structure for a marketplace of renewable energy sources is put forward, as well as an outline of the requirements that must be met in order for this market to function. Suitable policy recommendations to enhance the market for renewable energies are also provided.