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21 pages, 4028 KB  
Article
Prediction of Residential Load Adjustable Capacity Considering User Profile Heterogeneity
by Yi Hu, Han Xu, Run Han, Yuansheng Li and Yang Long
Sustainability 2026, 18(13), 6498; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136498 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
To address the issues of neglecting population heterogeneity and the difficulties in determining constraint parameters in residential load adjustable capacity forecasting, this paper proposes a data-driven forecasting method that considers profile heterogeneity. First, K-means++ is utilized to extract diverse user electricity consumption profiles. [...] Read more.
To address the issues of neglecting population heterogeneity and the difficulties in determining constraint parameters in residential load adjustable capacity forecasting, this paper proposes a data-driven forecasting method that considers profile heterogeneity. First, K-means++ is utilized to extract diverse user electricity consumption profiles. Second, to solve the problem of real response data scarcity, the difference-in-differences (DID) method is employed to empirically calibrate the true physical constraint boundaries of different clusters, and high-quality response samples are generated in batches based on an electricity cost minimization model. Finally, a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) time-series forecasting model is constructed to achieve the precise quantitative evaluation of adjustable capacity. Case studies demonstrate that after introducing user profile labels, the three accuracy metrics of the predictive model are improved by 16.29%, 24.52%, and 20.21%, respectively. Although the practical application of synthetic labels faces minor limitations caused by uncertain user behaviors, this scalable framework supports seamless incremental retraining using future empirical response data to realize continuous model evolution and persistent accuracy improvement, thereby providing technical support for load aggregators’ market bidding and the precise dispatch of power grid demand response. Full article
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27 pages, 5655 KB  
Article
Revisiting Stationary and Synchronous Reference Frame Controllers for Voltage Source Power Converters: HVDC Grid Applications
by Amir Arsalan Astereki, Kumars Rouzbehi, Sara Laali and Mehdi Monadi
Energies 2026, 19(13), 3011; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19133011 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
Voltage source converters (VSCs), together with their inner current and outer power/voltage control loops, are fundamental building blocks in the modern, converter-dominated power systems, particularly within high-voltage DC (HVDC) frameworks. Selecting effective control methods for VSCs is essential to ensure the stability, power [...] Read more.
Voltage source converters (VSCs), together with their inner current and outer power/voltage control loops, are fundamental building blocks in the modern, converter-dominated power systems, particularly within high-voltage DC (HVDC) frameworks. Selecting effective control methods for VSCs is essential to ensure the stability, power quality, and dynamic performance of HVDC grids. This paper seeks to advance the current body of research by delivering an in-depth, consistent, unified framework and systematic examination of VSC control architectures within HVDC networks. It thoroughly explores various control strategies for VSCs interfacing with HVDC grids, such as grid-following and grid-forming strategies, with particular emphasis on both stationary (αβ) and synchronous (dq) reference frames. Moreover, the paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical underpinnings and decoupled control strategies, like the feedforward decoupling of the d- and q-axis currents in the dq frame and the inherently decoupled structure of the αβ frame. Additionally, advanced filtering techniques, including Moving Average Filter (MAF), Cascaded Delayed Signal Cancellation (DSC), and LCL filters, are analyzed. In addition, harmonic mitigation strategies, like parallel/multiple resonant (PR) terms in the αβ frame and cascaded notch filters in the dq frame, are presented. Furthermore, precise power control approaches and synchronization methods are discussed in detail. Also, this paper presents a detailed comparison of the performance characteristics of phase-locked loop (PLL) and frequency-locked loop (FLL) in response to grid frequency variations. Moreover, this paper proposes circuit representations and VSC models in both synchronous and stationary reference frames. The simulation results corroborate the theoretical insights discussed in the paper under various operational conditions, including initial responses, grid disturbances, three-phase-to-ground temporary fault scenarios, harmonic distortions, and load imbalances, in terms of overshoot, settling time, active- and reactive-power fluctuation reduction, voltage unbalance factor, total harmonic distortion, and post-fault convergence time, all evaluated in accordance with the limits defined in EN-50160. This comprehensive comparison of the presented control strategies facilitates researchers in identifying the most appropriate controller depending on their specific application requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section F1: Electrical Power System)
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13 pages, 953 KB  
Article
Refined THI Models for Evaluating the Effects of Heat Stress on Egg Production in Thai Native and Black-Boned Chickens
by Doungnapa Promket, Khanitta Pengmeesri, Vibuntita Chankitisakul and Wuttigrai Boonkum
Animals 2026, 16(13), 1966; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16131966 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
Heat stress is a major constraint on poultry productivity in tropical environments, where persistent high temperature and humidity intensify its negative effects on production traits. In this study, we quantified the relationship between thermal load and monthly egg production in black-boned and Thai [...] Read more.
Heat stress is a major constraint on poultry productivity in tropical environments, where persistent high temperature and humidity intensify its negative effects on production traits. In this study, we quantified the relationship between thermal load and monthly egg production in black-boned and Thai native chickens and developed a refined temperature–humidity index intended to improve the assessment of heat stress under tropical conditions. A large dataset comprising 136,816 monthly egg production records from 11,530 birds was analyzed using regression models and seven THI equations. The results confirmed that heat stress significantly reduces monthly egg production, while conventional indices showed only moderate explanatory power. In contrast, the refined index consistently improved model performance, providing modest improvements in model fit compared with the original formulation. Notably, genotype-specific responses were identified, with Thai native chickens exhibiting greater tolerance to elevated thermal conditions. Distinct heat stress thresholds were also established, with values of 72 for black-boned and 74 for Thai native chickens. These findings highlight the environmentally sensitive nature of monthly egg production traits and demonstrate that targeted refinement of thermal indices enhances the detection of heat stress effects. This study provides a practical framework for integrating environmental indicators into management and breeding strategies aimed at improving thermal resilience in poultry systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heat Stress Management in Poultry)
42 pages, 24340 KB  
Review
Unveiling Trends in Machine Learning for Smart Grids: A Comprehensive Bibliometric and Science Mapping Approach
by Abdelhamid Zaidi, Samuel-Soma M. Ajibade, Anthonia Oluwatosin Adediran and Muhammed Basheer Jasser
Energies 2026, 19(13), 3007; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19133007 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
The exponential growth of machine learning (ML) applications in smart grid (SG) research over the past decade has generated a vast and fragmented body of literature that lacks systematic synthesis. This study addresses that gap by presenting a comprehensive bibliometric and science mapping [...] Read more.
The exponential growth of machine learning (ML) applications in smart grid (SG) research over the past decade has generated a vast and fragmented body of literature that lacks systematic synthesis. This study addresses that gap by presenting a comprehensive bibliometric and science mapping analysis of the ML–smart grid (MLSG) research landscape to date, drawing on 4156 peer-reviewed publications indexed in the Elsevier Scopus database from 2009 to 2025. The principal contributions of this study are fourfold. First, it provides a rigorous quantitative mapping of MLSG publication growth from one document in 2009 to 1163 publications in 2025, representing a growth rate of 116,200%, thereby establishing a definitive baseline for tracking future scholarly development in the field. Second, it identifies the key actors driving MLSG research, including the most prolific authors (Nadeem Javaid, Alsabaan M.), leading institutions (King Saud University, Tennessee Technological University), and dominant nations (India, China, United States), which offers researchers and funding bodies actionable intelligence on collaboration opportunities and research leadership. Third, through keyword co-occurrence and cluster analysis, the study maps the three dominant thematic hotspots structuring current MLSG research—Smart Grid Security, Power Load Forecasting, and Advanced Energy Management—providing a structured intellectual framework that can guide future research prioritization. Fourth, the study delivers a critical thematic literature review of these three hotspots, synthesizing the most impactful ML methodologies and applications reported across 4156 publications, including deep learning-based intrusion detection, ensemble forecasting models, and reinforcement learning-driven energy management. Collectively, these contributions offer a robust evidence base for researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners seeking to navigate, benchmark, and advance the field of ML-enabled smart grid systems. Full article
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38 pages, 5046 KB  
Article
Resource-Driven Design and Optimization of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for Namibia’s Off-Grid Communities
by Ndemuhanga V. Nghuumbwa, Tom Wanjekeche, Ester Hamatwi and Matheus Mwatile Kanime
Energies 2026, 19(13), 3005; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19133005 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
Namibia’s rural communities continue to experience limited and unreliable electricity access despite the potential of the country’s exceptional solar, wind, and biomass renewable energy resources. Conventional grid extension remains financially and technically impractical for dispersed off-grid settlements, underscoring the need for cost-effective, renewable-based [...] Read more.
Namibia’s rural communities continue to experience limited and unreliable electricity access despite the potential of the country’s exceptional solar, wind, and biomass renewable energy resources. Conventional grid extension remains financially and technically impractical for dispersed off-grid settlements, underscoring the need for cost-effective, renewable-based alternatives. This paper presents a resource-driven design and multi-objective optimization framework for Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRESs) tailored to Namibia’s off-grid communities. The proposed model integrates solar PV, wind turbines, biomass generators, and hydrogen-based fuel cells with a hybridized energy storage consisting of batteries, supercapacitors, and hydrogen tanks. Using the Non-dominated sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II), the system simultaneously minimizes Total Life Cycle Cost (TLCC), Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP), carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and Wasted Renewable Energy (WRE). The framework is applied to three rural villages, Oluundje, Ombudiya, and Onguati, using high-resolution, site-specific renewable resource datasets and community-level load forecasts. The results demonstrate that resource-aligned configurations substantially improve system reliability (up to 99.28%), reduce LCOE (0.0023–0.0811 USD/kWh), and optimize dispatch behaviour across seasonal variations. Storage hybridization further enhances stability by balancing transient and long-duration deficits. Compared to existing diesel mini-grids, the optimized HRESs achieve markedly superior techno-economic and environmental performance. The proposed framework offers a scalable, adaptable, and policy-ready tool for accelerating sustainable rural electrification in Namibia. Full article
16 pages, 961 KB  
Article
Data-Driven Condition Monitoring on Water Conduit Systems of Hydropower Plants
by Fatih Erden and Murat Göl
Energies 2026, 19(13), 3004; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19133004 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
Recent developments and trends in power systems have increased the importance of dynamic modeling and monitoring of system components. Increased penetration of renewable energy sources and battery storage systems makes grid operation challenging. Being environment-friendly and fast-responding, hydroelectric power plants will participate in [...] Read more.
Recent developments and trends in power systems have increased the importance of dynamic modeling and monitoring of system components. Increased penetration of renewable energy sources and battery storage systems makes grid operation challenging. Being environment-friendly and fast-responding, hydroelectric power plants will participate in the generation as a balancing factor while introducing inertia. They will operate dynamically—as a reserve in frequency regulation and load-generation balancing— due to the intermittent characteristics of wind and photovoltaics (PVs). Therefore, their condition monitoring and health assessment should be performed regularly or in real time to ensure that the plant is ready whenever needed. In this research, a data-driven condition monitoring method is introduced in which the health status of the water conduit system is assessed from the turbine’s startup process. The proposed “PbyGate Analysis” method briefly obtains the expected behavior and healthy/anomalous operation regions from the historical data. Then the unit is monitored in real time with the online SCADA measurements. The method is developed and tested on three different hydroelectric turbine data. Startups are tagged as healthy or anomalous with 84.5% accuracy. Full article
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29 pages, 843 KB  
Article
A Two-Stage VM Migration Framework for Power-Constrained Data Center Load Scheduling
by Xiande Bu, Haixin Sun, Feng Tian and Xiaomin Li
Sensors 2026, 26(13), 4041; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26134041 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
With the rapid growth of data center (DC) energy consumption and the large-scale integration of renewable energy, DCs increasingly face time-varying power upper-bound constraints jointly shaped by grid power supply capability, renewable energy fluctuations, and demand response mechanisms. Meanwhile, DC power consumption exhibits [...] Read more.
With the rapid growth of data center (DC) energy consumption and the large-scale integration of renewable energy, DCs increasingly face time-varying power upper-bound constraints jointly shaped by grid power supply capability, renewable energy fluctuations, and demand response mechanisms. Meanwhile, DC power consumption exhibits a typical information-load-driven characteristic. The computing tasks hosted by virtual machines affect server-side IT power consumption through resource utilization states such as CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network I/O, and are further coupled with non-IT auxiliary power consumption from cooling, power distribution, and networking equipment. In such cyber–physical operation scenarios, physical-layer sensing data and hypervisor-level virtualization monitoring data jointly provide the state basis for power estimation, power warning, and migration decisions. To address the mismatch between dynamic power upper bounds and time-varying information loads, this paper investigates the information load scheduling problem under constrained power loads and proposes a two-stage virtual machine (VM) migration optimization framework. In the VM selection stage, a Multi-Factor Balanced (MFB) algorithm is designed. By introducing a warning-line trend model based on the arctangent function, MFB comprehensively considers resource utilization, power load variation trends, and service level agreement (SLA) violation levels to dynamically identify candidate VMs for migration. In the VM placement stage, a Multi-Factor Equilibrium Ant Colony Optimization (MFEACO) algorithm incorporating a Random Roulette Wheel (RRW) selection mechanism is proposed. By constructing normalized multi-dimensional equilibrium factors, MFEACO coordinates the trade-off among energy consumption, load balancing, and SLA violations. Simulation experiments are conducted on an improved CloudSim platform using real-world cluster trace data from Google and Alibaba. The results show that, while satisfying dynamic power constraints, the proposed MFB–MFEACO framework achieves a favorable comprehensive trade-off among energy consumption control, SLA violation suppression, and migration reduction. Compared with traditional heuristic methods and a power-constrained genetic algorithm baseline, the proposed framework demonstrates better dynamic adaptability and scheduling stability. Full article
27 pages, 8674 KB  
Article
DC-Link-Voltage-Control-Based Phase-Wise Unbalanced Power Compensation Strategy for Head-to-Tail Interconnection in a Low-Voltage Transformer Area
by Miaomiao Xiao and Huajun Zheng
Energies 2026, 19(13), 2995; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19132995 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
To address head-end three-phase current unbalance and terminal power-quality deterioration caused by uneven three-phase load allocation in a low-voltage transformer area (LVTA), this paper proposes a DC-link-voltage-control-based phase-wise unbalanced power compensation strategy for a head-to-tail flexible interconnection structure embedded in the LVTA. The [...] Read more.
To address head-end three-phase current unbalance and terminal power-quality deterioration caused by uneven three-phase load allocation in a low-voltage transformer area (LVTA), this paper proposes a DC-link-voltage-control-based phase-wise unbalanced power compensation strategy for a head-to-tail flexible interconnection structure embedded in the LVTA. The proposed structure consists of two three-phase four-leg converters sharing a common DC bus and connected to the head end and tail end of the LVTA, respectively. Different from conventional phase-wise compensation methods in which the DC side mainly acts as a power-transfer channel, the proposed strategy uses the DC-link voltage control of the head-end converter as the core of compensation power generation. Specifically, the outer DC-link voltage loop generates the total active compensation power, which is then allocated among the three phases according to the measured phase-power unbalance of the LVTA, thereby yielding the phase-wise compensation current references. Combined with phase-wise quasi-proportional-resonant current control, the compensation currents of different phase legs can be regulated without explicit positive-, negative-, and zero-sequence decomposition. Meanwhile, the tail-end converter adopts PQ control to support terminal power regulation and improve the terminal voltage quality of the LVTA. To provide a theoretical basis for the proposed method, a switching-cycle averaged model of the three-phase four-leg converter is established, and the leg-level phase-wise control characteristics are analyzed under the assumptions of a stiff DC link and symmetrical converter parameters. A control-oriented equivalent LVTA model is developed in MATLAB/Simulink. The proposed strategy is validated under steady-state unbalanced, RL load, load-disturbance, and equivalent feeder-impedance conditions. In addition, a conventional positive-, negative-, and zero-sequence compensation method is introduced as a benchmark for quantitative comparison. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively suppress the head-end three-phase current unbalance, maintain the DC-link voltage around its reference value, and improve the terminal voltage quality of the LVTA. Compared with the conventional sequence-component-based compensation method, the proposed strategy achieves effective unbalance mitigation while avoiding explicit sequence extraction and reducing the complexity of the compensation-current generation process. This study provides a feasible control framework for three-phase unbalance mitigation in flexible low-voltage transformer areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section F3: Power Electronics)
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25 pages, 1741 KB  
Article
Data-Driven Reduction of External Load Variables in Indoor Team Sports Using Local Positioning System
by Christos Kokkotis, Ioannis Kansizoglou, Dimitrios Pantazis, Alexandra Avloniti, Dimitrios Balampanos, Panagiotis Foteinakis, Theodoros Stampoulis, Maria Protopapa, Alexandros Dendrinos, Panagiotis Aggelakis, Nikolaos Zaras, Paraskevi Malliou, Maria Michalopoulou, Antonios Gasteratos and Athanasios Chatzinikolaou
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(3), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11030249 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
Objectives: Local positioning systems (LPSs) used in indoor team sports generate a large number of external load variables, often exceeding practical monitoring capacity. The redundancy and overlap among these variables make it difficult to identify the most informative metrics for performance analysis and [...] Read more.
Objectives: Local positioning systems (LPSs) used in indoor team sports generate a large number of external load variables, often exceeding practical monitoring capacity. The redundancy and overlap among these variables make it difficult to identify the most informative metrics for performance analysis and load management. This study aimed to reduce the dimensionality of external load variables derived from LPS data and to identify data-driven external-load observation profiles using principal component analysis and clustering techniques. Methods: A total of 188 observations from indoor team sports (basketball, handball, and futsal) were analyzed. Continuous external load variables were standardized and subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), with component retention based on a ≥90% cumulative explained variance threshold. K-means clustering was applied in both the full standardized feature space and the PCA-reduced space. The optimal number of clusters was determined using silhouette analysis and the elbow method. Agreement between clustering solutions was assessed using Adjusted Rand Index (ARI) and Normalized Mutual Information (NMI). Cluster characteristics were further examined using descriptive statistics and variable separation analysis. Results: The first two principal components explained 53.7% of the total variance, representing high-intensity external load and neuromuscular load dimensions, while 12 components were required to exceed 90% cumulative explained variance. Clustering analysis consistently identified three moderately separated clusters in both the full and PCA-reduced spaces. The PCA-based solution demonstrated improved separation (silhouette = 0.362) compared to the full-space solution (silhouette = 0.319). Agreement between clustering approaches was high (ARI = 0.981; NMI = 0.971), indicating that dimensionality reduction largely preserved the main clustering structure within the analyzed dataset. The most discriminative variables included jump load, acceleration load, metabolic power, and anaerobic activity distance. Conclusions: A large set of external load variables can be reduced into interpretable latent dimensions that support exploratory external-load profile identification. The combination of PCA and clustering provides an exploratory and structure-preserving framework for summarizing complex external-load datasets and identifying latent load dimensions. These findings may assist future monitoring strategies; however, the practical utility of the identified profiles requires prospective validation before implementation in training-load management. Full article
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17 pages, 2790 KB  
Article
Sitingand Sizing of Energy Storage Systems Considering Renewable Generation Uncertainties and Resilience Requirement
by Yingbei Yao, Jian Zhou, Da Sang, Zhenfei Tan, Hongyun Feng and Zheng Yan
Processes 2026, 14(13), 2067; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14132067 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
The rapid development of renewable energy generators (REGs) has increased the uncertainties and security risks in power systems. Furthermore, extreme weather conditions impose higher demands on the secure operation range of power systems. Energy storage systems (ESSs), with fast power regulation capability, can [...] Read more.
The rapid development of renewable energy generators (REGs) has increased the uncertainties and security risks in power systems. Furthermore, extreme weather conditions impose higher demands on the secure operation range of power systems. Energy storage systems (ESSs), with fast power regulation capability, can smooth fluctuations of REGs and mitigate risks of power deficits and power flow violations under extreme events. To this end, this paper proposes an ESS siting and sizing model that considers the economic efficiency, security, and resilience requirements. First, to overcome drawbacks of existing ESS planning methods that ignore the resilience requirement under extreme events and the strong nonlinearity of power flow entropy indicator reflecting system security margins, the loading rate balance (LRB) indicator is developed to describe the safety and resilience of transmission grid and is incorporated into the ESS planning model in a first-order dispersion form to keep the optimization model linear. Second, a coordinated ESS planning and dispatch optimization model is formulated to minimize the equivalent daily planning cost, daily dispatch cost, and LRB, subject to secure operation constraints of the power system under renewable generation uncertainties. Third, a sample average approximation -based chance-constrained approach is proposed in the ESS planning model to characterize the uncertainties of wind and solar power to avoid distributional dependence and the curse of dimensionality. Detailed simulations validate the effectiveness of the proposed ESS planning method in terms of improving economic efficiency while ensuring system security and resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Systems)
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14 pages, 5031 KB  
Article
Development of Piezoelectric Thin-Film Ultrasonic Transducers for Wind Turbine Bolt Preload Measurement
by Yan Li, Yanghui Jiang, Baocang Du, Ye Zhang, Wei Chang, Ran Wei, Bingbing Ren, Qingdong Chang, Bin Wang, Yaqian Li, Jun Zhang and Bing Yang
Coatings 2026, 16(7), 750; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16070750 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
The detection of bolt preload force is of vital importance for ensuring the structural reliability of equipment under extreme operating conditions. Traditional ultrasonic transducers based on bulk piezoelectric materials suffer from poor long-term coupling stability and high brittleness of the material, which limits [...] Read more.
The detection of bolt preload force is of vital importance for ensuring the structural reliability of equipment under extreme operating conditions. Traditional ultrasonic transducers based on bulk piezoelectric materials suffer from poor long-term coupling stability and high brittleness of the material, which limits their practical applications. In this work, AlN piezoelectric thin films were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering, and the effects of RF power and target-to-substrate distance on film morphology, crystal structure, and ultrasonic response were investigated. The results show that increasing RF power increased the film thickness and deposition rate, reduced the detected O content on the film surface, and changed the XRD response. The film deposited at 900 W generated ultrasonic longitudinal wave echoes with a relatively high signal amplitude among the tested RF powers. Among the tested target-to-substrate distances, the film deposited at 60 mm showed a relatively higher deposition rate and generated an ultrasonic longitudinal wave echo with a relatively higher amplitude. The measured d33 value of this film was approximately 4.8 pC/N. The AlN thin-film ultrasonic transducers prepared under the selected deposition conditions were directly deposited on bolts, and the effects of temperature and axial load were calibrated using the ultrasonic TOF measurement method. There was a linear correlation between the TOF and the temperature (R2 > 99.99%), as well as between the TOF and the axial load. These results indicate that the deposited AlN thin-film transducer has potential for bolt preload measurement in wind turbine bolts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Thin Films)
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16 pages, 2029 KB  
Article
Optimal Capacity Allocation of Pumped Hydro Storage Towards Long-Term High-Penetration Renewable Energy Integration: A Case Study of a Coastal Power Grid
by Jiquan Chen, Jinxia Yu, Han Qin and Guobin Ye
Energies 2026, 19(13), 2982; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19132982 (registering DOI) - 25 Jun 2026
Abstract
The integration of high-penetration renewable energy creates new requirements for cross-timescale peak shaving and for system robustness under extreme meteorological conditions. This study develops a dual-timescale capacity allocation method for pumped hydro storage (PHS), combining 8760 h chronological production simulation with monthly typical-day [...] Read more.
The integration of high-penetration renewable energy creates new requirements for cross-timescale peak shaving and for system robustness under extreme meteorological conditions. This study develops a dual-timescale capacity allocation method for pumped hydro storage (PHS), combining 8760 h chronological production simulation with monthly typical-day retrospective analysis. The model represents the operating limits of conventional units, nuclear power, hydropower, wind power, photovoltaic generation, tie-line exchange, and PHS energy shifting. On this basis, a stepwise capacity-sensitivity framework is established to minimize annualized comprehensive system cost while controlling renewable energy curtailment within a predefined planning threshold, rather than treating zero curtailment as an unconditional monthly hard constraint. Using long-term planning data from a coastal provincial power grid in southeastern China, the study compares the 2035 and 2040 planning scenarios. The results show that isolated typical-day models tend to overestimate PHS requirements because they disconnect chronological continuity and cross-day reservoir buffering. In 2035, the system presents a two-level seasonal capacity structure: 15,000 MW can support normalized operation in stable months, whereas the rigid boundary rises to 19,000 MW under extreme autumn high-wind conditions. In 2040, wind and photovoltaic capacity increase by approximately 20.01 GW compared with 2035, deepening low-net-load valleys and compressing seasonal regulation margins. Under the assumed planning boundary, the recommended PHS capacity converges to 23,000 MW. The proposed framework provides a practical reference for flexible resource planning in coastal power grids with deep renewable energy integration. Full article
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19 pages, 3575 KB  
Article
Modeling and Optimization of a Green Ammonia Synthesis Loop Across a Wide Production Load Range
by Peng Ni, Xudong Zhou, Yi Wang, Xu Ji and Li Zhou
Processes 2026, 14(13), 2055; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14132055 (registering DOI) - 24 Jun 2026
Abstract
“Power-to-ammonia” is widely regarded as a viable solution for large-scale consumption of wind and solar power, as well as for deep decarbonization in the energy and chemical sectors. However, the intermittent nature of renewable energy requires ammonia synthesis systems to operate across a [...] Read more.
“Power-to-ammonia” is widely regarded as a viable solution for large-scale consumption of wind and solar power, as well as for deep decarbonization in the energy and chemical sectors. However, the intermittent nature of renewable energy requires ammonia synthesis systems to operate across a wide and varying range of loads, posing challenges to their economic viability. To address this, we develop a simulation and optimization methodology for ammonia reactor operation under varying loads. Firstly, a high-fidelity reactor model is developed based on the reactor’s structural characteristics by incorporating reaction kinetics and thermodynamic mechanisms. This reactor model is then integrated with compression and separation units. To ensure computational efficiency, surrogate models are developed to approximate the ammonia synthesis and flash separation units. A case study of an ammonia plant with a nominal production rate of 100,000 tons/year is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results indicate that the feasible operation region of the reactor narrows significantly as the system production load decreases. System operation parameters, including reactor inlet temperature, reactor pressure, and ammonia separation temperature, are optimized for the ammonia synthesis loop over a wide operating window from 30% to 100% of nominal capacity. It is recommended to increase the system inlet temperature as the production load decreases, thereby compensating for the reduced heat release per unit product resulting from the decreased system pressure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Processes and Systems)
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23 pages, 1713 KB  
Article
Performance Optimization of Distributed Data Processing in Centralized Control System Based on Spark and GPU Collaboration
by Xunting Wang, Cheng Xie, Jinjin Ding, Bin Xu, Jianlin Li and Weimin Huang
Information 2026, 17(7), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/info17070625 (registering DOI) - 24 Jun 2026
Abstract
Limited by the computational performance limits of the CPU(Central Processing Unit), the traditional Spark architecture struggles to achieve high throughput and low latency under the dual pressure of a large data scale and real-time requirements in centralized control systems. This work uses a [...] Read more.
Limited by the computational performance limits of the CPU(Central Processing Unit), the traditional Spark architecture struggles to achieve high throughput and low latency under the dual pressure of a large data scale and real-time requirements in centralized control systems. This work uses a publicly available CNC(Computer Numerical Control) milling dataset as a functional validation proxy for time-series data processing, then extends validation to a large-scale synthetic power transmission grid dataset. Furthermore, Spark-GPU(Graphics Processing Unit) collaboration suffers from load balancing failure due to heterogeneous resource scheduling and communication overhead, thus failing to unleash its performance potential. This paper proposes a Spark-GPU fusion acceleration technology path. The path consists of three key components: first, it integrates the RAPIDS accelerator; second, it designs a GPU-aware partitioning and task co-scheduling strategy; and third, it optimizes the zero-copy data path. Together, these components realize an integrated collaboration of heterogeneous resources. Validation on real-world datasets yields the following results. In real-time aggregation scenarios, the proposed solution improves throughput by a factor of 3.7 over the pure CPU baseline and reduces end-to-end latency by 62%. Compared with the basic GPU solution, GPU utilization rises from 51.7% to 72.3%, representing a relative improvement of 39.8%. Furthermore, the solution meets industrial-grade high availability requirements. This research significantly improves the processing throughput and reduces end-to-end latency in typical centralized control scenarios, thus providing a feasible technical route for demanding concurrent centralized control scenarios such as electric power industry manufacturing with high real-time demands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Information Processes)
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38 pages, 3338 KB  
Article
From Vulnerability to Resilience: Passive Design Strategies for Optimizing Building Envelope Heat Exchange to Reduce Cooling Loads in a Warming World
by Tao Ning, Junxue Zhang, Hairuo Wang and Ge Song
Buildings 2026, 16(13), 2513; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16132513 (registering DOI) - 24 Jun 2026
Abstract
Traditional air conditioning consumes substantial electricity, exacerbates the urban heat island effect, and creates a maladaptive feedback loop, necessitating a shift toward passive-first net-zero pathways. This study takes a typical six-story residential building in Nanjing’s hot summer and cold winter climate zone as [...] Read more.
Traditional air conditioning consumes substantial electricity, exacerbates the urban heat island effect, and creates a maladaptive feedback loop, necessitating a shift toward passive-first net-zero pathways. This study takes a typical six-story residential building in Nanjing’s hot summer and cold winter climate zone as a case study. Using EnergyPlus hourly simulations, three progressive passive strategy packages are designed to quantify the impact of building envelope heat exchange on cooling loads, grid stress, and heat resilience. Package A includes external shading and natural ventilation. Package B adds reflective coating and a green roof. Package C further adds night ventilation precooling and high-performance windows. The results show that Package C achieves a 62.5% reduction in peak cooling load and a 63.0% reduction in seasonal cooling load. Daytime peak inward heat gain decreases from 68 W/m2 to 22 W/m2, while nighttime outward heat dissipation increases from 12 W/m2 to 38 W/m2. Under an extreme heat day of 41.2 °C with no active cooling, indoor peak temperature drops from 36.8 °C to 29.4 °C, and heat risk hours decrease by 73.6%. Peak-hour power demand is reduced by 70.4%, with a systemic leverage factor of 1.08. Innovations include achieving over 60% load reduction using only mature passive strategies, introducing the systemic leverage factor to quantify urban heat island mitigation benefits, and establishing a vulnerability-to-resilience transformation framework. The passive-first pathway validates building envelope as the first line of defense for net-zero futures. However, the findings are based on a typical six-story residential building in Nanjing and require validation through field measurements or broader application across different climate zones and building typologies before generalization. Full article
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