Special issue on advanced computational intelligence systems for smart grids planning and management

Abstract

Technological advancements in the field of renewable energy systems (RES) are driving a wide and multidisciplinary interest toward the future electrical distribution networks. In order to fully exploit the available energy, electrical grids have to increase their sophistication, becoming smart grids (SGs). There are a variety of SGs definitions, which can be basically summarized as ‘‘intelligent’’ electricity networks, integrating a large number of conventional and unconventional power sources, often based on renewable energies and ‘‘active’’ users, fully coordinated among them by sophisticated management systems. Many research and development issues of interest should be addressed in SGs, involving customers, utilities, energy providers, telecommunication companies, component and system producers, and financial organizations. In this context, significant enhancements can be accomplished by using advanced distributed and coordinated computational intelligence systems. These systems are, in fact, able to support full integration of RES, active participation of electricity customers in grid operations, dynamic optimization of grid operation, improved reliability, high power quality, high levels of grid security and efficiency. Advanced computational intelligence methods that can be applied to solve challenging problems, contributing to a full realization of SGs include, among others, fuzzy logic and bio-inspired intelligence paradigms, such as neural networks, genetic algorithms, swarm intelligence, ant colonies and more. In this context, it is a pleasure for us to introduce this Special Issue on ‘‘Advanced Computational Intelligence Systems for Smart Grids Planning and Management’’, including eight papers which have the aim of bringing some of the most recent and interesting concepts in this area by the worldwide research community and presenting some of the latest advancements and developments in the field of advanced computational intelligence systems dedicated to the SGs. Di Fazio et al. describe recent management systems based on automatic controls and advanced information and communications technologies (ICTs) required for the realization of active networks and SGs. The paper evidences that in the development of smart distribution grids, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary. The development of new communication systems and their interfacing with the power system elements and of distribution management systems (DMSs) and energy management systems (EMSs), able to manage in a smart way the distributed system for energy production, consumption and storage, is in fact, necessary. Communication technology is seen as an essential enabling component of future SGs. In particular, smart meters, protection and control systems and two-way communicating devices represent the major components of the overall SG architecture. The paper by G. Mokryani entitled ‘‘Optimal allocation of wind turbines in microgrids by using genetic algorithm’’ proposes a novel method for optimally allocating WTs in microgrids. The method combines the Genetic Algorithms (GA) and optimal power flow (OPF) to jointly minimize the total active power losses and maximize social welfare (SW) over a year. The GA is used to choose the optimal size while the OPF is used to determine the optimal number C. Cecati Department of Information Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy e-mail: carlo.cecati@univaq.it