Smart Grid Implementation Research Articles

The precursors of acceptance for a prosumer-led transition to a future smart grid

ABSTRACT Centralised electricity grids around the world are transitioning towards greater renewable distributed storage, and pivotal to transition is the relationship between prosumers and utilities. Evidence of this changing relationship is observed through a three-year (2016–2019) Australian smart grid pilot. This study investigates the precursors of technology acceptance of smart batteries, because a lack of acceptance presents risks to implementation. We draw on: scholarly literature, government documents, interviews and observations of the pilot implementation for a qualitative, exploratory, longitudinal and thematic analysis. We outline four findings: Firstly, we suggest a reframing of the influence of agency in IoT-systems: The concept of ‘behaviour’ might be conditionally substituted for ‘agency’ in the case of smart grids. Secondly, we reconfirm prosumers require different agency-focused engagement than is currently offered if private investment in batteries is to be encouraged. Thirdly, prosumers do not always desire increased agency – there is a trade-off between agency and trust under the duress of high system complexity. Finally, we extend a variation of the technology acceptance model (known as RITAM) to include Perceived Trust, Agency and Complexity in relation to smart grids, and note these acceptance precursors pose both a risk and an enhancer to smart grid implementation.

The smart grid as a security device: Electricity infrastructure and urban governance in Kingston and Rio de Janeiro

This article aims to contribute to recent debates on the politics of smart grids by exploring their installation in low-income areas in Kingston (Jamaica) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). To date, much of this debate has focused on forms of smart city experiments, mostly in the Global North, while less attention has been given to the implementation of smart grids in cities characterised by high levels of urban insecurity and socio-spatial inequality. This article illustrates how, in both contexts, the installation of smart metering is used as a security device that embeds the promise of protecting infrastructure and revenue and navigating complex relations framed along lines of socio-economic inequalities and urban sovereignty – here linked to configurations of state and non-state (criminal) territorial control and power. By unpacking the political workings of the smart grid within changing urban security contexts, including not only the rationalities that support its use but also the forms of resistance, contestation and socio-technical failure that emerge, the article argues for the importance of examining the conjunction between urban and infrastructural governance, including the reshaping of local power relations and spatial inequalities, through globally circulating devices.

Critical Solution to Power Grid Problems Using Smart Grid –A Case Study on Karnataka Power Transmission Control Limited (KPTCL)

Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) is a power distribution and transportation company in Karnataka state established in the year of 1999 under the company act 1956. Now it is one of the big government sector company owned by government of Karnataka with 1000 cores of share capital. Karnataka Electric Board (KEB) is the parent body of KPTCL, until 2002 KEB did all the functions such as distribution and transmission of electric power throughout the state. After that it was divided in to distribution and Transmission Company called KPTCL and power generating company known as Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL). The ultimate goal of KPTCL is to provide uninterrupted power supply to all customers in state of Karnataka with minimum distribution and transmission cost and lowest unit price. KPTCL purchases power from KPCL for fixed rate under the Karnataka regulation act. KPCL contains several power generation projects which include different types such as hydraulic power, thermal power, wind power, etc. KPTCL also purchases power from power stations such as National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Atomic power stations like Kalpakkam and Kaiga which is owned by central government. Power generation is not a big deal for any state government but real challenge is to transmission of uninterrupted power and distribution of power to different parts of the state using power grid. So there should be proper data analysis in the entire grid and all transmission station throughout the state in order to identify the loop holes, actual capacity, requirement, request from consumers, and also to identify any damages. The ultimate solution for all this is introduction of smart grid concept in power grid. In this paper I reviewed about operational and technical structure of the KPTCL and factors to be considered while performing data analytics in power grid and adoption of smart grid concept over traditional grid using SCADA technology to perform data analytics and finally listed out some improvements in overall functioning of KPTCL after implementation of smart grid.

Smart grid implementation in Morocco: Case study

Like all industrial sectors in Morocco, the electricity network is facing challenges due to energy demand growth, and environmental protection requirements. Therefore, in 2009, a new Moroccan energy strategy has been adopted to respond to the sustainable development revolution. Its main objectives are to provide sufficient and reliable energy to the country with minimum costs and impacts on the environment. Smart Grid (SG) is one of the aspects that can ensure the success of such strategy. Its implementation helps ensuring more efficient energy and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by adapting production to demand while reducing consumption, integrating renewable energies (RE), and using advanced communication and control technologies. Through this article, we will study the existing state of the Moroccan network, along with its potential of RE, as well as the obstacles and barriers to smart grid development in Morocco. Finally, we will propose solutions and strategies for deploying smart grids in the Kingdom. In which it is necessary to introduce intelligent measurement and analysis systems, to reinforce the regional and international interconnections and promote energy storage. In the alternative, Morocco needs to complete the regulatory framework for open and transparent access to the low-voltage system, particularly by harmonizing authorizations and tariff structures.

Ground Displacement Variation Around Power Line Corridors on the Loess Plateau Estimated by Persistent Scatterer Interferometry

As the world's largest producer and consumer of electricity, China has deployed a project to transport energy resources from West China to East China through extra-high-voltage transmission lines to reduce carbon emissions. In the Loess Plateau, the safety of transmission lines has been frequently threatened by natural hazards such as landslides and ground subsidence. However, it is prohibitively expensive to build a monitoring network covering all transmission lines to provide timely early warnings, particularly for sparsely inhabited areas. Based on the large-scale coverage of Sentinel-1 SLC images in IW TOPS mode, we utilized persistent scatterer interferometry to measure the ground target movements along transmission lines with millimeter accuracy. Three regions of interest were selected to reflect the different environmental conditions from the south to north of the Yan'an Region. The displacement variations were compared and evaluated at three spatial scales (region, route, local) from October 2018 to November 2019. On the regional scale, the deformation variation decreased from the south (-36 - 29 mm/yr) to the north (-19 - 20 mm/yr), which was significantly different as determined by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and can be attributed to the impacts of water-induced subsidence and human activities. On the local scale, the results showed that the deformation rate was less than 10 mm/yr, which suggested a stable status for the experimental line sections. The displacement time series of transmission towers preliminarily revealed seasonal displacement variations, wherein winter and spring were relatively quiet periods. The application of advanced InSAR technologies has excellent prospects in smart grid implementation.

A systematic literature review of smart grids

The development and implementation of smart grids involve developing new and improvements in existing energy technologies, introducing information systems to manage the smart grid, monitoring and controlling energy consumption, and closely related to alternative energy and decarbonization of the economy. Scientific research of smart grids differs significantly in terms of topics because they aim to solve problems in each of these areas. Thus, this research aims to present a bibliometric overview to define the current scientific production state regarding “Smart Grid.” A review of 1359 publications from the Scopus database (2008–2020) was conducted. The “Title, abstract, keywords” field of search in the Scopus database was done. The visualization of the results was made using VOSviewer program to map the material graphically. The study used the cooccurrence of keywords and co-authorship (country) analyzes. As a result, the most productive authors and journals were defined. The most cited studies were determined. Country clusters and keywords (co-occurrence) clusters were represented. The obtained results of the analysis and graphical presentations are relevant, and they form the basis for a better understanding of Smart Grid’s concept.

Implementation of Smart Grid Technologies in Pakistan under CPEC Project: Technical and Policy Implications

Potential implementation of smart grid technologies has been given wide attention for modernization of electrical power systems. Existing power grid infrastructure of Pakistan is ill-suited to accommodate increased renewable energy sources and poses interoperability issues for seamless transition towards decentralization and digitalization of the power grid. Modernization of power grid through realization of smart grid technologies is much needed to meet the ever-increasing energy demand of the country. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a conglomerate of multibillion dollar infrastructural projects with a major focus on energy sector which offers a great opportunity for the country to invest appropriately in the power grid transformation. This research study is focused on devising a technical and policy framework for conversion of the existing power grid into smart grid under the umbrella of CPEC. Potential key drivers are identified for the deployment of smart technologies to upgrade the power grid of Pakistan. The presented research proposes a stage-wise implementation plan to upgrade the power infrastructure of the country. In particular, this research study presents cost benefit analysis for a case study with an aim to reduce the interruption index values. Obtained values of the cost benefit analysis suggest that the investment incurred for smart grid realization can be paid back within a period of twenty months and offers a positive net present value which establishes the financial feasibility of the project. Importantly, policies and recommendations are suggested which would enable the concerned stakeholders to ensure grid modernization as per the proposed smart grid implementation plan.

LoRa IoT-Based Architecture for Advanced Metering Infrastructure in Residential Smart Grid

Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are opening new opportunities and services for different smart grid applications such as advanced meter infrastructures (AMI), distributed energy resources, and electric vehicles. Among these applications, AMIs represent the first step toward future smart grid implementation by enabling the reading and recording of electric power consumption on request or a schedule. In this study, the main focus is designing an IoT-based architecture to support AMIs’ daily reporting and billing in a residential grid. First, the network modeling for AMI is discussed. Long range (LoRa) technology, as one of the promising candidates for long range low power wide area networks (LPWANs), has been studied and discussed. A comprehensive analysis of the LoRa-based architecture is given for a case study of an actual residential grid, Puerto Montt, Chile. The results are analyzed and discussed for packet delivery ratio, energy consumption, throughput, number of collisions, and frequency distribution.

Pametne mreže i pouzdanost elektroenergetskog sistema

Smart grids and the reliability of the power system issues are discussed in the paper. Smart Grids have emerged as a mean to increase the efficiency of energy systems around the world. Based on the analysis of Smart Grid implementation, liberalization of the electricity market and system reliability, it is concluded that Smart Grid has not improved the reliability of the power system The reliability can be improved only by constant investment in production and capital plants of the system, with optimal use of smart grids.. The paper presents the case study of disintegration of the power system under calm weather conditions, and case of low quality of power delivery where smart grids did not help enough.

ИНТЕЛЛЕКТУАЛЬНАЯ ЭЛЕКТРИЧЕСКАЯ СЕТЬ КАК ЕДИНЫЙ ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ КОМПЛЕКС

The problem related to providing consumers with high-quality electricity, the principle of operation of smart grid and their new technologies, as well as the expected results from the implementation of smart grid is considered.

Proposed Practical Communication Architecture for Automatic Fault Detection and Clearance in Secondary Distribution Power Network

A versatile yet secure communication architecture is important for smart grid (SG) applications. Most developing countries are currently deploying communication infrastructure for SG implementation. Survey in literature shows automated protection and control is already done in generation, transmission and primary distribution parts of the grid so as to guarantee reliable power supply to customers. However, secondary distribution power network (SDPN) is usually not monitored. Most of the published studies dealing with communication architectures in SDPN have focused on providing solutions for home automations and smart metering applications but little attention is paid to actual power utilities’ needs and implementation challenges facing power utilities specifically when detecting and clearing faults automatically in SDPN. Most power utility companies in developing countries and Tanzania in particular face a lot of challenges when dealing with faults management in the SDPN. This is due to poorly planned and unmonitored low voltage infrastructure. In this paper, practical requirements for SDPN communication architectures are established through challenge driven education (CDE) approach and thereafter, a practical communication architecture appropriate for Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) to enable automatic and real time faults detection and clearance in SDPN is proposed. Simulation results show that the developed architecture can successfully be used to practically detect and clear faults at SDPN since it introduces an overall end to end average delay of 1.362ms which is lower than what is specified by SG application standard delay time for distribution automation (100ms).

The Impact and Application of Smart Grid on Global Energy Delivery

This paper presents a detailed survey of global energy delivery and smart grid approaches. Particularly in the sense that shows the impacts on the production of energy resources globally. How can energy losses be reduced, primarily by implementing smart grid approaches? Power transfers and reduction of energy sources can be made by smart grids with information technology (I.T) such as sensors digital meters and communication networks. Energy from photovoltaic and wind power are some of the energy delivery systems that have gained attention since they are cheap and environment-friendly and do not emit greenhouse gas. Presently available grid is insufficient to serve future systems. For this reason, an intelligent grid system is required to support future needs for society. This paper expounds on the impacts of the existing power delivery system and suggests a smart grid for global energy delivery on a better management system.

Adaptation for sustainable implementation of Smart Grid in developing countries like Bangladesh

Smart Grid technology as a platform can encompass several advanced technological features across the spectrum of the power system. Effective Smart Grid system includes smart metering, robust communication infrastructure, deep integration of renewable energy sources, and distributed generation, among other important factors. The presented work in this paper highlights the required adaptation of the potential prime features of Smart Grid technology covering niftier equipment integration and internal cross-platform communication adaptable to the context of Bangladesh. This paper also focuses on the potential cost model for Smart Grid installation in Bangladesh based on the current scenario regarding the power sector. A study on India’s Smart Grid that simulates a quasi-similar circumstance helped better comprehend the essential steps required to implement Smart Grids in Bangladesh.

Fault-Tolerant Multisubset Aggregation Scheme for Smart Grid

As smart cities and nations are fast becoming a reality, so does the underpinning infrastructure, such as smart grids. One particular challenge associated with smart grid implementation is the need to ensure privacy preserving multisubset data aggregation. Existing approaches generally require the collaboration of a trusted third party (TTP), which may not be practical. This also increases the threat exposure, as the attacker can now target the TTP who may be servicing several smart grid operators. Therefore, in this article, a fault-tolerant multisubset data aggregation scheme is proposed. Our scheme aggregates the total electricity consumption value, and obtains the number of users and the total electricity consumption in different numerical intervals, without relying on any TTP. Detailed system analysis shows that our scheme prevents the leakage of single data, as well as guarantees the efficiency when new user joins and existing user leaves. Findings from our evaluation also demonstrate that system robustness is achieved with negligible cost.

Building Energy Consumption Prediction with Principal Component Analysis and Artificial Neural Network

The implementation of the smart grid will greatly improve the efficiency of energy supply by detecting, predicting, and reacting to real-time local changes of energy uses. To this end, energy usage prediction of household buildings is critically important to facilitate the implementation of smart grid. This study used a single house as a prototype, employed different observed features, advanced data analysis approach, and artificial neural network model to predict real-time dynamics of house energy usage. Data analysis revealed that among the 26 observed features, only the top ten most important features were helpful and could maximize the neural network model performance. The resultant model has the great predictive capability on energy usage, thus provided a promising framework to improve the smart grid implementation.

Distributed selective harmonic mitigation and decoupled unbalance compensation by coordinated inverters in three-phase four-wire low-voltage networks

Considering the high penetration of distributed generators in low-voltage grids, establishing a coordinated operation of their grid-tied inverters has become imperative to move towards the implementation of smart grids. Yet, knowing that mitigation of power quality issues such as reactive power, current unbalance and harmonics is of importance within such a context, this work proposes a master/slave control approach, which uses a communication means of low-bandwidth, to flexibly coordinate four-leg inverters dispersed in three-phase four-wire networks. Their coordination is attained by means of a current-based approach, allowing the sharing of active, reactive, harmonic and unbalance currents drawn by loads. The control strategy also regulates the power flow at the point of common coupling of the low-voltage network, while proportionally steering inverters according to their nominal capabilities. In addition to the offering of selective harmonic mitigation, the control approach provides distributed and decoupled unbalance compensation, in partial or total portion, based on concepts from the Conservative Power Theory. Consequently, extraction of sequence components or implementation of virtual impedance control loops are not required. The proposed strategy is evaluated based on multiple simulation results, considering the CIGRE's European low-voltage distribution benchmark, including six distributed inverters, as well as linear and nonlinear loads.

Smart grid in the context of industry 4.0: an overview of communications technologies and challenges

<span>The recent advances in technology, the increased dependence on electrical energy and the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) were all factors in the increased need for smart, efficient and reliable energy systems. This introduced the concept of the Smart Grid (SG). A SG is a potential replacement for older power grids, capable of adapting and distributing energy based on demand. SG systems are complex. They combine various components and have high requirements for real time reliable operation. This paper attempts to provide an overview of SG systems, by outlining SG architecture and various components. It also introduces communication technologies, integration and network management tools that are involved in SG systems. In addition, the paper highlights challenges and issues that need to be addressed for a successful implementation of SG. Finally, we provide suggestions for future <br /> research directions. </span>

Intelligent Energy Management of Electrical Power Systems

Smart grid implementation is facilitated by multi-source energy systems development, i.e., microgrids, which are considered the key smart grid building blocks. Whether they are alternative current (AC) or direct current (DC), high voltage or low voltage, high power or small power, integrated into the distribution system or the transmission network, multi-source systems always require an intelligent energy management that is integrated into the power system. A comprehensive intelligent energy system aims at providing overall energy efficiency with regard to the following: increased power generation flexibility, increased renewable generation systems, improved energy consumption, reduced CO2 emission, improved stability, and minimized energy cost. This Special Issue presents recent key theoretical and practical developments that concern the models, technologies, and flexible solutions to facilitate the following optimal energy and power flow strategies: the techno-economic model for optimal sources dispatching (mono and multi-objective energy optimization), real-time optimal scheduling, and real time optimization with model predictive control.

Technological paradigm-based approaches towards challenges and policy shifts for sustainable wind energy development

Wind energy has gained significant support to be one of the primary sources of near-zero-emission energy systems. Based on the technological paradigm theory and employing a novel data analysis system (DAS), this paper provides an overview of wind energy technological developments. With key energy law and policy decisions highlighted, the visualization process clearly identified the three technological paradigmatic stages; competition, diffusion and shift; from which it is found that wind-based hybrid energy systems appear to give better promising trajectory in the future than wind energy technologies that rely only on onshore or offshore winds. However, with market maturation, the challenges associated with increasing share, energy storage, motivational conflicts, demand responses and optimal scheduling emerge and are expected to be resolved. From the paradigm shift investigation, a comprehensive sustainable framework for a six-stage hybrid wind-photovoltaic energy system is proposed. Recommendations on policy shifts to encourage technological innovation, regional differentiation, improve monitoring & evaluation systems and the implementation of smart grid are also given to address the incentives that need to be provided.

Smart Grid Implementation in Mozambique: Where to Start?

Abstract: The article presents a survey on the development of Smart Grids in the world. Its purpose is to present an overview of the possibilities and initial challenges to be overcome for its implementation in Mozambique. For the development of this article, a bibliographical survey of the world panorama of technology was made. As a result of this literary survey, it was understood that the concept of smart grids became more clear from 2005 and is developing. Some countries, mainly developed, have already joined the technology and they are with the pilot projects and realized. The motivations for its implementation vary from country to country. Increasing profits in the electricity sector, reducing energy technical losses, improving the environment and enhancing renewable energy are the main motivations. This technology brings benefits associated with technological innovation, new product development and new market opportunities. At the moment, it’s understood that, Mozambique is not in time to implement this technology effectively. Not only because many countries are still with pilot projects, but also, the financial costs for their implementationarehigh. However, although there are presumed difficulties for its implementation, it’s considered convenient to start with the discussions about smart grids in higher education and research institutions, fund mobilization and implementation of testing laboratories. Additionally, it is important to study the possibility of phased implementation of this technology in new condominiums or residential neighborhoods and to gain experience in countries that have already started to implement it.