Microgrid concept has been widely adopted by power and energy community to boost the resilience and enhance the economics of the energy system. Stability control and economic control are two main factors to enable the reliable and efficient operation of microgrids. This paper presents two different control approaches for microgrids. The first control method adopts hierarchical structure. Each controllable resource is complied with a local controller and the microgrid is managed and optimized by a central supervisor controller. The second control method adopts the distributed structure. Distributed controller of each energy resource can communicate with each other to achieve global goals. This paper discusses the main features of these two methods and provides recommendations on how to choose appropriate control for different types of microgrids. A case study illustrates the performance difference of the two methods from economic point of view.

Solar road technology provides an opportunity to harvest the vast, albeit dispersed, photovoltaic (PV) energy, while maximizing the land utilization. Deriving experience from the pioneering 70-m solar bike path installed in the Netherlands, this paper highlights the operational challenges and performance parameters using the first-year measured data. The theoretically predicted energy yield is compared with the measured energy yield. Based on the best performing module, the benchmark annual energy yield is set to 85–90 kWh/m$^2$ specific to the installation site. It is shown that this value can be bettered by about 1.5 times if different cell technology such as monocrystalline is used. With different installation sites around the world, thermal behavior as well as annual energy yield changes. Theoretical proof is offered that it is not unreasonable to expect an annual energy yield in the upwards of 150 kWh/m$^2$ with solar road energy harvesting technology. For example, the annual yield is found to be 213 kWh/m$^2$ if the same model is simulated for a solar road PV installation in India, which increased further with the use of monocrystalline to almost 300 kWh/m$^2$.

Low voltage dc distribution grids face issues associated with arc faults, aggravated by the absence of current zero crossing. The focus of this paper is to comprehensively develop a method of series arc fault detection at the load side power electronics, based on the electrode dependent initial voltage drop occurring at the arc initiation. The proposed arc detection algorithm is described along with the structure and time constants of the designed bandpass filter. The operational boundaries of the arc detection algorithm are defined for copper electrodes depending on the set threshold voltage and the system parameters, like grid inductance, resistance, and the load capacitance. Further, the detection time and the zone of guaranteed positive detection are depicted. These are validated through test simulations on the state space model of the system. Finally, experimental validation of the proposed scheme is carried out, wherein, a series arc is generated in the dc circuit and the programmed micro-controller provides a real time signal upon detecting the arcing event. The results on variation in detection time with set threshold voltage are also presented experimentally.

The economic viability of on-road wireless charging of electric vehicles (EVs) strongly depends on the choice of the inductive power transfer (IPT) system configuration (static or dynamic charging), charging power level and the percentage of road coverage of dynamic charging. In this paper, a case study is carried out to determine the expected investment costs involved in installing the on-road charging infrastructure for an electric bus fleet. Firstly, a generic methodology is described to determine the driving range of any EV (including electric buses) with any gross mass and frontal area. A dynamic power consumption model is developed for the EV, taking into account the rolling friction, acceleration, deceleration, aerodynamic drag, regenerative braking and Li-ion battery behavior. Based on the simulation results, the linear dependence of the battery state of charge (SoC) on the distance traveled is proven. Further, the impact of different IPT system parameters on driving range is incorporated. Economic implications of a combination of different IPT system parameters are explored for achieving the required driving range of 400 km, and the cost optimized solution is presented for the case study of an electric bus fleet. It is shown that the choice of charging power level and road coverage are interrelated in the economic context. The economic viability of reducing the capacity of the on-board battery as a trade-off between higher transport efficiency and larger on-road charging infrastructure is presented. Finally, important considerations, like the number of average running buses, scheduled stoppage time and on-board battery size, that make on-road charging an attractive option are explored. The cost break-up of various system components of the on-road charging scheme is estimated, and the final project cost and parameters are summarized. The specific cost of the wireless on-road charging system is found to be more expensive than the conventional trolley system at this point in time. With decreasing battery costs and a higher number of running buses, a more economically-viable system can be realized.

In this paper, the impact of Electric Vehicle (EV) uncontrolled charging with four levels of EV penetration in overall 21 real low voltage distribution grids in two seasons are analysed. The employed real grid data is provided by distribution system operators from three European countries: Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. At least six grids in each country were considered and they are categorised into three types, namely rural grids, suburban grids and urban grids. The EV charging data used in this study is based on real measurements or surveys. The seasonal and the weekday-weekend factors are also considered in the EV charging impact research. Three key congestion indicators, the transformer loading, line loading and node voltage as well as several other evaluation indexes are studied. The results reveal that the majority of the simulated grids had no or minor moments of mild overloading while the rest grids had critical issues. Among all the grids, suburban grids are most vulnerable to massive EV integration. Out of the evaluated grids, those who are located in Germany have the highest redundancy for high EV penetration accommodation. Overall, the impact of uncontrolled EV charging depends on the combination of EV charging demand as well as the grid inherent features.