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Energies
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Medium/Low Voltage Smart Grids
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Medium/Low Voltage Smart Grids

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2020) | Viewed by 17260

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Antonio Cataliotti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, Università degli studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: distributed measurement and control systems for MV and LV distribution networks; power quality measurements; harmonic source detection; power line communications and smart grids
Dr. Dario Di Cara

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Marine Engineering, National Research Council of Italy, via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Interests: MV and LV real-time network management; load flow; power line communications; smart grid solutions; transducer characterization in non-sinusoidal conditions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giovanni Artale

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, Università degli studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: power quality measurements; power line communications; intelligent electronic devices; power system measurements; harmonic analysis algorithms; smart grids

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the past decade, medium-voltage (MV) and low-voltage (LV) distribution networks have been experiencing many changes due to the high increase of distributed generation from renewable energy sources, the connection of new electric loads (e.g., electric vehicles), the integration of energy storage systems, the progressive participation of passive users in demand response strategies, the introduction of new players in the energy market (e.g., energy aggregators, virtual power plants (VPPs), etc.), and the development of novel strategies for smart metering and power quality issues. In this panorama, distribution system operators need to revise their network management strategies, performing a constant monitoring of the whole distribution network and interacting with distributed generators, energy storage systems, passive users, and energy aggregators. Toward this aim, innovative solutions are needed for accurate distributed measurement systems; intelligent electronic devices and management strategies for distributed generators and energy storage systems; smart metering; load flow and state estimation algorithms; and communication systems to acquire distributed measurement data, send commands, and receive alarms, energy transactions recording and validation (e.g. using blockchain technologies) and cyber attacks prevention. The introduction of these innovative solutions can pave the way for the effective transformation of MV and LV networks into smart grids.

Within this framework, Guest Editors are inviting experts to contribute to this Special Issue by submitting papers dealing with, but not limited to, the following research areas and their applications in MV and LV smart grids:

  • Distribution network monitoring and management;
  • Distributed measurement systems and their accuracy requirements;
  • Meter placement and load flow algorithms;
  • Measurement instruments and transducers;
  • Distributed generators and energy storage systems integration;
  • Energy aggregators and demand response strategies in the future energy market;
  • Micro-grid and VPP development and management;
  • Communication systems in MV and LV grids;
  • Intelligent Electronic Devices integrating measurement, control, and communication capabilities;
  • Power quality analysis;
  • Smart metering;
  • Cyber-physical security in electrical distribution networks;
  • Blockchain technology application to MV and LV grids

Prof. Dr. Antonio Cataliotti
Dr. Dario Di Cara
Dr. Giovanni Artale
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

  • smart grid
  • smart metering
  • power quality
  • load flow
  • distribution measurement systems
  • distributed generation
  • energy storage systems
  • microgrids
  • meter placement
  • power system communication
  • blockchain
  • cyber-security

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4028 KiB  
Article
BPL-PLC Voice Communication System for the Oil and Mining Industry
by Grzegorz Debita, Przemysław Falkowski-Gilski, Marcin Habrych, Grzegorz Wiśniewski, Bogdan Miedziński, Przemysław Jedlikowski, Agnieszka Waniewska, Jan Wandzio and Bartosz Polnik
Energies 2020, 13(18), 4763; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13184763 - 12 Sep 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3136
Abstract
Application of a high-efficiency voice communication systems based on broadband over power line-power line communication (BPL-PLC) technology in medium voltage networks, including hazardous areas (like the oil and mining industry), as a redundant mean of wired communication (apart from traditional fiber optics and [...] Read more.
Application of a high-efficiency voice communication systems based on broadband over power line-power line communication (BPL-PLC) technology in medium voltage networks, including hazardous areas (like the oil and mining industry), as a redundant mean of wired communication (apart from traditional fiber optics and electrical wires) can be beneficial. Due to the possibility of utilizing existing electrical infrastructure, it can significantly reduce deployment costs. Additionally, it can be applied under difficult conditions, thanks to battery-powered devices. During an emergency situation (e.g., after coal dust explosion), the medium voltage cables are resistant to mechanical damage, providing a potentially life-saving communication link between the supervisor, rescue team, paramedics, and the trapped personnel. The assessment of such a system requires a comprehensive and accurate examination, including a number of factors. Therefore, various models were tested, considering: different transmission paths and types of coupling (inductive and capacitive), as well as various lengths of transmitted data packets. Next, a subjective quality evaluation study was carried out, considering speech signals from a number of languages (English, German, and Polish). Based on the obtained results, including both simulations and measurements, appropriate practical conclusions were formulated. Results confirmed the applicability of BPL-PLC technology as an efficient voice communication system for the oil and mining industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medium/Low Voltage Smart Grids)
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17 pages, 5017 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Different Development Possibilities of Distribution Grid State Forecasts
by Jessica Hermanns, Marcel Modemann, Kamil Korotkiewicz, Frederik Paulat, Kevin Kotthaus, Sven Pack and Markus Zdrallek
Energies 2020, 13(8), 1891; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13081891 - 13 Apr 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1637
Abstract
The number of renewable energy systems is still increasing. To reduce the worldwide CO2 emissions, there will be even more challenges in the distribution grids like currently upcoming charging stations or heat pumps. All these new electric systems in the low voltage [...] Read more.
The number of renewable energy systems is still increasing. To reduce the worldwide CO2 emissions, there will be even more challenges in the distribution grids like currently upcoming charging stations or heat pumps. All these new electric systems in the low voltage (LV) and medium voltage (MV) levels are characterized by an unsteady behavior. To monitor and predict the behavior of these new flexible systems, a grid state forecast is needed. This software tool calculates wind, photovoltaic, and load forecasts. These power forecasts are already in the focus of research, but there are some specific use cases, which require a more specific solution. To get a variously applicable software tool, different new functions to improve an already existing grid state forecast tool were developed and evaluated. For example, it will be proofed if a grid state forecast tool can be improved by calculating the number or the base load of the loads in grid areas by just one available measurement. Another big subject exists in the exchange of forecast information between different voltage levels. How this can be realized and how big the effect on the forecast quality is, will be analyzed. The results of these evaluations will be shown in this paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medium/Low Voltage Smart Grids)
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17 pages, 3172 KiB  
Article
Incremental Heuristic Approach for Meter Placement in Radial Distribution Systems
by Giovanni Artale, Antonio Cataliotti, Valentina Cosentino, Dario Di Cara, Salvatore Guaiana, Enrico Telaretti, Nicola Panzavecchia and Giovanni Tinè
Energies 2019, 12(20), 3917; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12203917 - 16 Oct 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1882
Abstract
The evolution of modern power distribution systems into smart grids requires the development of dedicated state estimation (SE) algorithms for real-time identification of the overall system state variables. This paper proposes a strategy to evaluate the minimum number and best position of power [...] Read more.
The evolution of modern power distribution systems into smart grids requires the development of dedicated state estimation (SE) algorithms for real-time identification of the overall system state variables. This paper proposes a strategy to evaluate the minimum number and best position of power injection meters in radial distribution systems for SE purposes. Measurement points are identified with the aim of reducing uncertainty in branch power flow estimations. An incremental heuristic meter placement (IHMP) approach is proposed to select the locations and total number of power measurements. The meter placement procedure was implemented for a backward/forward load flow algorithm proposed by the authors, which allows the evaluation of medium-voltage power flows starting from low-voltage load measurements. This allows the reduction of the overall costs of measurement equipment and setup. The IHMP method was tested in the real 25-bus medium-voltage (MV) radial distribution network of the Island of Ustica (Mediterranean Sea). The proposed method is useful both for finding the best measurement configuration in a new distribution network and also for implementing an incremental enhancement of an existing measurement configuration, reaching a good tradeoff between instrumentation costs and measurement uncertainty. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medium/Low Voltage Smart Grids)
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22 pages, 1960 KiB  
Article
An Optimized HT-Based Method for the Analysis of Inter-Area Oscillations on Electrical Systems
by Francesco Bonavolontà, Luigi Pio Di Noia, Davide Lauria, Annalisa Liccardo and Salvatore Tessitore
Energies 2019, 12(15), 2935; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12152935 - 31 Jul 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2097
Abstract
The paper deals with a novel method to measure inter-area oscillations, i.e., electromechanical oscillations involving groups of generators geographically distant from one another and ranging within the frequency interval from 0.1 Hz up to 1 Hz. The estimation of the parameters characterizing inter-area [...] Read more.
The paper deals with a novel method to measure inter-area oscillations, i.e., electromechanical oscillations involving groups of generators geographically distant from one another and ranging within the frequency interval from 0.1 Hz up to 1 Hz. The estimation of the parameters characterizing inter-area oscillations is a crucial objective in order to take the necessary actions to avoid the instability of the transmission electrical system. The proposed approach is a signal-based method, which uses samples of electrical signals acquired by the phasor measurement unit (PMU) and processes them to extract the individual oscillations and, for each of them, determine their characteristic parameters such as frequency and damping. The method is based on Hilbert transformations, but it is optimized through further algorithms aiming at (i) improving the ability to separate different oscillatory components, even at frequencies very close to each other, (ii) enhancing the accuracy associated with the damping estimates of each oscillation, and (iii) increasing the robustness to the noise affecting the acquired signal. Results obtained in the presence of signals involving the composition of two oscillations, whose damping and frequency have been varied, are presented. Tests were conducted with signals either synthesized in simulated experiment or generated and acquired with actual laboratory instrumentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medium/Low Voltage Smart Grids)
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15 pages, 2489 KiB  
Article
The Design of a Low Cost Phasor Measurement Unit
by Antonio Delle Femine, Daniele Gallo, Carmine Landi and Mario Luiso
Energies 2019, 12(14), 2648; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12142648 - 10 Jul 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4197
Abstract
The widespread diffusion of Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) is a becoming a need for the development of the “smartness” of power systems. However, PMU with accuracy compliant to the standard Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) C37.118.1-2011 and its amendment IEEE Std [...] Read more.
The widespread diffusion of Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) is a becoming a need for the development of the “smartness” of power systems. However, PMU with accuracy compliant to the standard Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) C37.118.1-2011 and its amendment IEEE Std C37.118.1a-2014 have typically costs that constitute a brake for their diffusion. Therefore, in this paper, the design of a low-cost implementation of a PMU is presented. The low cost approach is followed in the design of all the building blocks of the PMU. A key feature of the presented approach is that the data acquisition, data processing and data communication are integrated in a single low cost microcontroller. The synchronization is obtained using a simple external Global Positioning System receiver, which does not provide a disciplined clock. The synchronization of sampling frequency, and thus of the measurement, to the Universal Time Coordinated, is obtained by means of a suitable signal processing technique. For this implementation, the Interpolated Discrete Fourier Transform has been used as the synchrophasor estimation algorithm. A thorough metrological characterization of the realized prototype in different test conditions proposed by the standards, using a high performance PMU calibrator, is also shown. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medium/Low Voltage Smart Grids)
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22 pages, 664 KiB  
Article
Accurate Assessment of Decoupled OLTC Transformers to Optimize the Operation of Low-Voltage Networks
by Álvaro Rodríguez del Nozal, Esther Romero-Ramos and Ángel Luis Trigo-García
Energies 2019, 12(11), 2173; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12112173 - 06 Jun 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3540
Abstract
Voltage control in active distribution networks must adapt to the unbalanced nature of most of these systems, and this requirement becomes even more apparent at low voltage levels. The use of transformers with on-load tap changers is gaining popularity, and those that allow [...] Read more.
Voltage control in active distribution networks must adapt to the unbalanced nature of most of these systems, and this requirement becomes even more apparent at low voltage levels. The use of transformers with on-load tap changers is gaining popularity, and those that allow different tap positions for each of the three phases of the transformer are the most promising. This work tackles the exact approach to the voltage optimization problem of active low-voltage networks when transformers with on-load tap changers are available. A very rigorous approach to the electrical model of all the involved components is used, and common approaches proposed in the literature are avoided. The main aim of the paper is twofold: to demonstrate the importance of being very rigorous in the electrical modeling of all the components to operate in a secure and effective way and to show the greater effectiveness of the decoupled on-load tap changer over the usual on-load tap changer in the voltage regulation problem. A low-voltage benchmark network under different load and distributed generation scenarios is tested with the proposed exact optimal solution to demonstrate its feasibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medium/Low Voltage Smart Grids)
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