Date:
Friday, June 6, 2014 - 13:00 to 14:00
Talk #1: Impacts of wind and energy storage on future thermal power plant operating regimes
Speaker: Alasdair Bruce
Alasdair Bruce is a 3rd year PhD student at IES working in the post-combustion CO2 capture lab. Alasdair has previously studied B.Sc Physics at the University of Warwick and M.Sc. Sustainable Energy Systems at the University of Edinburgh. Alasdair is currently studying Mandarin in his spare time.
Summary:
Future generation portfolios with large amounts of variable renewable generation are likely to require additional operational flexibility. This talk will discuss how dispatchable generation and energy storage can accommodate increasing proportions of variable wind generation in future low carbon generation portfolios. A Monte Carlo based energy storage optimisation model simulates the charge/discharge profile for a system of large-scale energy storage devices. A multi-objective thermal unit commitment model with dynamic programming is employed to explore power plant operating patterns and start-up/shut-down schedules in very low carbon electricity systems.
Talk #2: Modelling and Management of Distribution Networks Using High-Resolution Synchronised Measurements
Speaker: Sotirios Christopoulos
Sotirios's first degree was in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens. Then he went on to complete an MSc in Sustainable Energy Systems, at the University of Edinburgh.
Summary:
His PhD research will try to extend aggregate steady state load models built in the IES to include dynamic load characteristics and small to medium scale embedded/distributed generation (wind, PV, CHP, etc.) connected in LV/MV distribution networks. The analysis and modelling is based on synchrophasor technology measurements, i.e. the implementation of Phasor Measurements Units (PMUs), which enable monitoring of the fast dynamic behaviour of the power system using synchronized measurements of voltage and current phasors at a high resolution (50 samples/sec or higher). A set of possible future scenarios, resulting from likely changes in demands (influenced by tariffs and price signals, or “smart metering” enabling actions) and/or proliferation of new types of loads (high-efficiency lighting, modern power electronic loads, electric vehicles, etc.) will be formulated and investigated, together with the analysis of higher penetration levels of small/micro distributed generation technologies and systems, with or without dedicated energy storage. Current work concentrates on analyzing laboratory measurements of dynamic responses of various power electronic equipment to transient disturbances in supply (voltage sags/swells, short interruptions, etc.).
The seminar team would like to thank the Engineering Graduate Society (EngGradSoc) for its funding and support of this seminar series.
