June – Power Quality & System Reliability

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Written by Bikash Sah, Sebastian Sprunck, and Marco Jung

The electric grid is transforming with the inclusion of a variety of generation sources, loads, and associated supporting systems. This transformation is made possible with the developments in the control and communication system technology, standards for operation and increased usage of controlled systems, such as power electronics converters (PEC).

Written by Math Bollen and Zunaira Nazir

The number of supply interruptions originating in the power transmission system is very small in most industrialized countries. This high reliability is achieved by combining a long-term and a short-term approach: ensuring sufficient components like transmission lines and substations during the (long-term) planning stage; maintaining sufficient reserves during (short-term) operation. The latter is achieved through a number of criteria that have to be fulfilled, somewhat simplified, referred to as “(N-1)-criterion.” There are some limitations with this approach: it is occasionally insufficient, it can create unnecessary barriers against new production and consumption, and it does not allow any trade-off between operational risks and other risks.

Written by Adel El-Shahat

Gaps and Room for Improvement: Solar electric power is rapidly growing in smart grids applications; however, it needs to be less expensive and more efficient, especially with advances in photovoltaic (PV) materials. The value of any new technology depends on its anticipated performance and manufacturing cost, which is reflected into its capital cost. The cost of manufacturing the silicon cell is important for future products. 

Written by Talada Appala Naidu, Sajan K Sadanandan, and Tareg Ghaoud

Installed Photovoltaic (PV) capacity has been rising across the smart grid distribution systems to supply energy needs as worries grow about greenhouse gases. However, the high penetration of PVs could affect the operation and planning of distribution networks. Therefore, to ensure a consistent and high-quality supply of power for a long time under a decentralized grid setup, it is critical to preserve compatibility and stability between the grid and its connected equipment. Power quality is an essential factor for the reliability of on-grid PV systems and should not be overlooked. This article underlines the power quality concerns, the causes for harmonics from PV, and their mitigation strategies considering the scope of research on the effect of voltage/current harmonics from PV-inverters on the grid.

Written by Vikash Kumar Saini, Shashank Vyas, Sujil A., and Rajesh Kumar

The power system has undergone a transformation from conventional to a smart "avatar" over the last few years and is still evolving. This metamorphosis towards a smarter system is being driven by an underlying transition to a low-carbon and sustainable energy framework for which a structured, efficient and a secure mechanism to enable a smooth integration of various components including Renewable Energy (RE) sources is an important consideration.


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