A new flexible, reliable, and intelligent electrical energy delivery system

Abstract

This paper proposes a new concept of an electric power delivery system for future decades. The power delivery network consists of a set of meshed networks spread over every demand-side block (city or town). On the end point of the power line network, quality improvement facilities (referred to as “quality improvement centers”) are installed, and each consumer can select an arbitrary quality of electricity. Thus the system can achieve multi-menu-services and uninterrupted power supply. The system contains small-scale energy storage and dispersed small-scale power generation systems. The main circuit breakers consist of power electronics devices, and communication networks are fully installed so as to control the power electronics devices or power flow according to system situations or the fault situations. The communication network also controls the demand-side management. From the above, the proposed power delivery network is flexible and reliable. The intelligent facilities (computers) are installed in the control centers as well as in the quality improvement centers. They keep the system as the most energy-conservative form. In this paper, the system is named FRIENDS (Flexible, Reliable and Intelligent Electrical eNergy Delivery system). The conclusion of this paper summarizes the major research areas that must be completed to realize the system. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 121(1): 26–34, 1997