Estimating the parameters of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries under dynamic working conditions is a critical challenge in the health management of electrical energy storage systems. This paper estimates the equivalent circuit model (ECM) parameters and analyzes the influence of different factors on the Li-ion batteries impedance using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. Firstly, the influence of the temperature, state of charge (SOC) and number of charging/discharging cycles on the impedance spectrum was studied. Nyquist plots were used to perform this analysis. Subsequently, ECMs were used to characterize the Li-ion batteries under study at different operating conditions. Specifically, the ECM parameters were estimated using the gaining-sharing knowledge (GSK) metaheuristic algorithm, allowing the consequent estimation of the impedance spectra obtained by the EIS technique. Experimental results included 15 datasets measured experimentally at three temperature levels for five SOCs and different number of charging/discharging cycles. To investigate the variation of Li-ion battery parameters with cyclic aging 350 datasets from the literature were also used. The results showed that the impedance and model parameters depend considerably on the considered factors. The estimation of the ECM parameters demonstrated high accuracy and reliability (mean RMSE values of 4.32E-02 and 2.33E-02 and mean STD values of 3.38E-16 and 5.82E-13 with measured and literature datasets, respectively), allowing the robust determination of the numerous impedance spectra under study.

Short-term load forecasting (STLF) plays a vital role in ensuring the safe, efficient, and economical operation of power systems. Accurate load forecasting provides numerous benefits for power suppliers, such as cost reduction, increased reliability, and informed decision-making. However, STLF is a complex task due to various factors, including non-linear trends, multiple seasonality, variable variance, and significant random interruptions in electricity demand time series. To address these challenges, advanced techniques and models are required. This study focuses on the development of an efficient short-term power load forecasting model using the random forest (RF) algorithm. RF combines regression trees through bagging and random subspace techniques to improve prediction accuracy and reduce model variability. The algorithm constructs a forest of trees using bootstrap samples and selects random feature subsets at each node to enhance diversity. Hyperparameters such as the number of trees, minimum sample leaf size, and maximum features for each split are tuned to optimize forecasting results. The proposed model was tested using historical hourly load data from four transformer substations supplying different campus areas of the University of Beira Interior, Portugal. The training data were from January 2018 to December 2021, while the data from 2022 were used for testing. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the RF model in forecasting short-term hourly and one day ahead load and its potential to enhance decision-making processes in smart grid operations.