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Smart Grids and Microgrids: From Simulations to Experimentation

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A1: Smart Grids and Microgrids".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 2297

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications Engineering and Naval Architecture (DITEN), University of Genoa, Via Opera Pia, 11a 16145 Genoa, Italy
Interests: integration of renewable energy sources into the electric grid; smart grid and microgrid management; control and modeling; lightning modeling and its effect on transmission and distribution networks
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Guest Editor
Faculty of Energy Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei 313, Sector 6, RO-060042 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: digitalization; renewable energy; power quality; smart grid; smart buildings; energy efficiency

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Guest Editor
Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Danang - University of Science and Technology, 54 Nguyen Luong Bang St., Lien Chieu District, Danang City, Vietnam
Interests: renewable energy; wind energy; solar energy; smart grids; power system

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The green energy transition is a major goal in the global energy sector. This is due to the need to reduce the emission of pollutants and greenhouse gases and to establish an alternative to expensive fossil fuels. In this context, smart grids and microgrids present promising solutions, mainly due to their ability to integrate Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) into the main grid and work in islanded configurations rather than the (today more frequently found) grid-connected one.

Despite the great flexibility of these systems, it is important not to forget that they require high-performing controls to guarantee continuity of service in any operating condition. The scientific literature is full of innovative and effective approaches; however, their validation is often carried out with simulations, which is obviously inferior to real experimentation.

In this framework, this Special Issue aims to collect the most up-to-date experiences evolving from classical simulations to real-life engineering applications.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to:

  • Energy Management Systems (EMSs) for grid-connected microgrids;
  • Tools for the participation of microgrids in national energy markets and energy communities;
  • Digital twins of smart grids, microgrids, RES and, more generally, power distribution systems;
  • Machine Learning (ML) tools for smart grids and microgrids;
  • Real-time simulations for power production systems;
  • Integration of real field measurements/device characterization into smart grid modeling and simulations;
  • Hardware in the Loop (HIL), Power Hardware in the Loop (PHIL) and Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP) set-up.

Prof. Dr. Renato Procopio
Dr. Gabriela Sava
Dr. Minh Quan Duong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hardware in the loop (HIL)
  • power hardware in the loop (PHIL)
  • rapid control prototyping (RCP)
  • energy management systems (EMS)
  • digital twin
  • renewable energy sources (RESs)
  • advanced control systems
  • smart grid (SG)
  • power quality (PQ)
  • digitalization
  • machine learning (ML)

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

34 pages, 8582 KiB  
Article
A Novel Methodology for Developing an Advanced Energy-Management System
by Cristian Gheorghiu, Mircea Scripcariu, Gabriela Nicoleta Tanasiev, Stefan Gheorghe and Minh Quan Duong
Energies 2024, 17(7), 1605; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17071605 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 555
Abstract
Current targets, which have been set at both the European and the international level, for reducing environmental impacts and moving towards a sustainable circular economy make energy efficiency and digitization key elements of all sectors of human activity. The authors proposed, developed, and [...] Read more.
Current targets, which have been set at both the European and the international level, for reducing environmental impacts and moving towards a sustainable circular economy make energy efficiency and digitization key elements of all sectors of human activity. The authors proposed, developed, and tested a complex methodology for real-time statistical analysis and forecasting of the following main elements contributing to the energy and economic performance of an end user: energy performance indicators, power quality indices, and the potential to implement actions to improve these indicators, in an economically sustainable manner, for the end user. The proposed methodology is based on machine learning algorithms, and it has been tested on six different energy boundaries. It was thus proven that, by implementing an advanced energy management system (AEMS), end users can achieve significant energy savings and thus contribute to the transition towards environmental sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Grids and Microgrids: From Simulations to Experimentation)
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24 pages, 3014 KiB  
Article
A Risk Assessment Framework for Cyber-Physical Security in Distribution Grids with Grid-Edge DERs
by Xue Gao, Mazhar Ali and Wei Sun
Energies 2024, 17(7), 1587; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17071587 - 26 Mar 2024
Viewed by 537
Abstract
Integration of inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) is reshaping the landscape of distribution grids to fulfill the socioeconomic, environmental, and sustainability goals. Addressing the technological challenges of DER grid integration requires an adaptive communication layer for efficient DER management and control. This transition [...] Read more.
Integration of inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) is reshaping the landscape of distribution grids to fulfill the socioeconomic, environmental, and sustainability goals. Addressing the technological challenges of DER grid integration requires an adaptive communication layer for efficient DER management and control. This transition has given rise to a cyberphysical system (CPS) architecture within the distribution system, causing new vulnerabilities for cyberphysical attacks. To better address potential threats, this paper presents a comprehensive risk assessment framework for cyberphysical security in distribution grids with grid-edge DERs. The framework incorporates a detailed CPS model accounting for dynamic DER characteristics within the distribution grid. It identifies vulnerabilities in DER communication systems, models attack scenarios, and addresses communication latency crucial for inverter control timescales. Subsequently, the quantification of attack impacts employs an attack probability model including both the vulnerability and criticality of cyber components. The proposed risk assessment framework was validated through testing on the modified IEEE 13-node and 123-node test feeders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Grids and Microgrids: From Simulations to Experimentation)
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15 pages, 5058 KiB  
Article
Strategies for Real-Time Simulation of Central Solenoid ITER Power Supply Digital Twin
by Manuela Minetti, Andrea Bonfiglio, Ivone Benfatto and Ye Yulong
Energies 2023, 16(13), 5107; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16135107 - 02 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 793
Abstract
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is a cutting-edge project that aims to develop a sustainable energy source by harnessing the power of nuclear fusion. One of the key challenges in the development of the ITER is the complex electrical grid that is [...] Read more.
The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is a cutting-edge project that aims to develop a sustainable energy source by harnessing the power of nuclear fusion. One of the key challenges in the development of the ITER is the complex electrical grid that is required to support its operations. To address this challenge, a digital twin (DT) of the Central Solenoid (CS) Converter Power Supply grid has to be developed, and real-time simulation strategies have been proposed to monitor and study the performance of the ITER grid. Real-time simulation strategies allow for continuous feedback on the performance of the grid, enabling the quick identification and resolution of issues. However, it is not always possible to perform real-time simulation easily in a real-time simulator; therefore, specific strategies have to be implemented in the DT. This paper focuses on decoupling lines and explicit partitioning as solutions to allow the real-time simulation of the CS Converter Power Supply grid with two converter units (CUs), as required by the ITER Organization (IO). As will be shown later in this article, the proposed approach is progressive and applicable to a more complex grid with multiple CUs. The results concerning the proposed strategies will be analyzed and discussed in terms of real-time performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Grids and Microgrids: From Simulations to Experimentation)
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