The significance of Distributed Generators (DGs) in the technical and economic operations of electric power distribution systems cannot be overemphasized in recent times. This is essential as a result of the incessant increase in electrical energy demand, which is becoming considerably difficult to meet with the conventional means of energy supply. Thus, DGs offer better alternatives for providing a quality supply of energy near the site of consumption. This type of energy supply is cleaner and cheaper most of the time due to the lessened transmission losses, which consequently reduced the cost of operation at the transmission and distribution levels of the power system. In this work, an approach for placement and sizing of solar PV DGs into radial distribution networks (RDN) based on the solar PV capacity factor of the site was analyzed using particle swarm optimization. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of the approach on the real and reactive power losses within the network as well as the bus voltage profile. Constraints on credible system operation parameters, which includes bus voltage limits, power balance, and power flow limits, are considered in the formulation of the optimization problem. In order to verify the viability of the deployed approach, steady-state performance analyses were executed on IEEE 33-bus RDN; and the results obtained were compared with the results from other approaches reported in the literature.

The incessant power outages that characterize the Nigerian power network (NGP), as in all developing countries, are not limited to the shortage of fuel for power generation. However, differential power shortages between the generated power and the load demand are alarming. In this study, we propose a new voltage stability pointer (NVSP) based on a reduced one-line power network to act as a classifier. The NVSP was trained with a support vector machine (SVM) using a medium Gaussian kernel classification toolbox (mGkCT) in the MATLAB environment. This classification is based on the power network susceptibility to voltage instability. NGP 28-bus 330 kV data were extracted and modeled in the MATLAB environment and tested with the NVSP-mGkCT classifier. The NVSP-mGkCT was able to classify the lines viz. stable and unstable lines for the base and contingency cases. Similarly, the linear load dynamics and non-linear load dynamics were evaluated on the basis of critical buses using the NVSP. The aim of this work was to help the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the National Control Centre (NCC) to be pre-emptive with respect to possible voltage collapse due to voltage instability. The simulation results show that NVSP was able to flag vulnerable lines in the NGP.

Improper management of reactive power in a power network could lead to voltage instability. This paper presents a well-detailed study on voltage instability due to violation of power equilibrium in a power network and introduces a new voltage stability pointer (NVSP). The proposed NVSP is developed from a reduced 2-bus interconnected network to predict the sensistivity of voltage stability to reactive power variation. The simulation results from MATLAB were evaluated on IEEE 14-bus test system. The contingency ranking was achieved by varying the reactive power on the load buses to its maximum loading limit. The maximum reactive power point was taken at each load bus and the critical lines were ranked according to their vulnerability to voltage collapse. The results were compared with other notable voltage stability indices. The results prove that the NVSP is an essential tool in predicting voltage collapse.

Electrical power systems are often required to operate at full loading capacity due to ever increasing demand and transmission line contingencies with limited grid expansion. This results in line overload and operating near system limit, thereby threatening system security. Utilization of existing system can be achieved using Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS) devices without violating system limits. This research investigation involves static security assessment of a modelled IEEE 30-bus test system in MATLAB/SIMULINK/PSAT environment. The security status with the incorporation of combined Static Var Compensator (SVC), Thyristor Controlled Series Compensator (TCSC) and Interline Power Flow Controller (IPFC) were determined. Prior to this, Contingency Severity Index (CSI) based on Performance Index (PI) of Voltage and Active Power was employed to determine the optimal location of the FACTS devices. Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) was applied to determine the optimal sizing/percentage compensation of FACTS. Subsequently, power system with and without the incorporation of FACTS devices were modelled. The ability of the compensated system to withstand credible transmission line contingencies without violating the normal operating limits (bus voltage and line thermal) was examined and presented. The paper presents how combined SVC/TCSC and an IPFC aided the power system to boost its steady state security in the face of possible line contingencies.

Across the globe, a significant portion of the world’s energy generation comes from the combustion of fossil fuel materials whose by-products are responsible for the world’s climate change. Globally, climate change has significantly affected the existence of humanity in recent times. As a result, there has been a paradigm shift in the way humanity perceives the immediate environment. Adoption of renewable energy resources (RES) offers the benefit of eco-friendliness in the form of low carbon footprints. Therefore, there must be deliberate and concerted efforts in the utilization of RES to combat climate change. This chapter thus focuses on the factors capable of triggering climate change by providing a conceptual review of the available RES with an emphasis on the carbon footprint, and proffers possible pathways for mitigating the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. The potential of biomass energy and small hydropower systems for sustainable community-based energy generation are also put forward. The chapter also takes special cognizance of powering municipal transportation by RES, as a potential means of curtailing GHG emissions from automobiles. Emphasis is equally placed on carbon capture, and utilization and storage techniques. It is hoped that a large number of the targeted audience will find the chapter handy and educative. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->

Most Nigerian distribution networks are examined on a single-phase basis, which fails to reflect the network's true features. Using three-phase power flow algorithms, this research explores the implications of variations in conductor sizes and spacing on power losses on a Nigerian network. Modified carson's equations were used to model the distribution lines to determine the network's impedance without presuming transposition of the lines. The conductor sizes and spacing were changed to see how they affected network power losses and how they contributed to the distribution network imbalance. The results showed that changing the conductor sizes of certain of the phases increased real power losses by 55.8 and 5.8%, respectively, in phases A and B. Phase C's was reduced by 13.04%. Furthermore, reactive power losses in phases A and B increased by 3.29 and 8.18%, respectively, whereas reactive losses in phase C dropped by 10.32%. Changing the conductor spacing in phases A, B, and C increased real power losses by 825.8, 136.2, and 13.2%, respectively, and reactive power losses by 72.86, 52.30, and 31.89%. Distribution networks should not be evaluated on a single-phase basis since losses differ in each of the three phases. Conductor size and spacing reductions cause huge losses.