Micro-Grid Literature
Grid Integration Literature
K. A. Nigim and W. Lee, "Micro Grid Integration Opportunities and Challenges" 2007 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting, Tampa, FL, 2007, pp. 1-6. doi: 10.1109/PES.2007.385669
1. Presents the opportunities and challenge facing the integration of microgrid with exiting utilities and concludes with the required steps needed to minimize the challenging factor
2. Energy management system – dispatches heat and power according to the demand and fuel availability at all times through coordination among the mix of the generating units.
3. Opportunities: - • To reduce dependency on imported fuel sources and to help in regulating prime fuel market competition.
• To enable the use of renewable energy sources
• To help rural Electrification
• To defer the constructing or extension if transmission lines
• To Push forward the virtual power management concept that utilizes local resources nationally
4. Challenges.
• Technical Challenges: - Issues such as safety, islanding, restoration from scheduled and unscheduled shut downs protection coordination, capacity and reserves Management.
• Non-technical Challenges: - issues such as pricing, incentive, decision priory, risk responsibility and insurance for new technologies adaption and interconnection standards.
Solar Powered Schools Literature
F. Calise, "Thermoeconomic analysis and optimization of high efficiency solar heating and cooling systems for different Italian school buildings and climates" Energy and Buildings, 42(7), 992-1003, 2010.
- Search: Google Scholar for "solar powered school"
- economic profitability of system dependent upon public funding policies (ex: feed-in tariff)
- system contributes to energy savings, emissions reductions and growth of use of renewable energy sources
- incentive policies and demonstration projects needed to actualize this type of system at large scale
- energy efficiency is a problem for school buildings because of enormous energy consumption rates
C. Filippin, "Thermal response of solar and conventional school buildings to design- and human-driven factors" Renewable Energy, 30(2), 353-376, 2005.
- Search: Google Scholar for "solar school"
- energy makes up a high percentage of costs for schools
- Green School Project & Energy Smart Schools (U.S.) are initiatives aimed at improving the energetic and environmental efficiency of school buildings
- LEED- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design
Zhao et al., "The green school project: A means of speeding up sustainable development?" Geoforum, 65, 310-313, 2015.
- Search: Google Scholar for "green school project"
- schools are unique and special communities- have capacity to spread awareness of low carbon concepts and issues related to energy
- Green School Project objective is to generate more students with sustainable consciousness, contribute to greater awareness of sustainable development and reduce carbon emissions
- dependence on fossil fuels is driving energy shortage- global reserves are limited and fast depleting (less than 200 years to depletion)
- schools are the potential breeding grounds of innovative ideas and trends
- popularize sustainable development by providing students with environmental protection/energy conservation context
- Green Schools conserve resources and enhance environmental quality by demonstrating/educating sustainability
Yilmaz et al., "Energy supply in a green school via a photovoltaic-thermal power system" Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 57, 713-720, 2016.
- Search: Google Scholar for "green school and energy"
- economic, technical and environmental feasibility study of grid-connected PV for a school
- results show a school in similar climatic conditions to Kahramanmaras, Turkey can meet entire energy needs with renewable energy sources so long as optimal planning is employed
- cost and performance of energy systems depends on human factors and design components selected
- on-site renewable energy systems and technology are developing fast and are becoming more diversified
- increase energy efficiency, lower costs and emissions simultaneously
- "school's energy needs are met in an optimal manner with solar energy"
Jimenez, A. and Lawland, T., "Renewable Energy for Rural Schools" National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2000.
- Search: Google Scholar for "green school and energy"
- integration of renewable energy resources into school buildings needs to be supported by a policy framework
- RE power systems are commonly misconceived as unaffordable- initial cost evaluations often discourage RE development
- excess energy supply can generate income to support operation and local community
Hau et al., "Analyzing the Impact of Renewable Energy Incentives and Parameter Uncertainties on Financial Feasibility of a Campus Microgrid" Energies, 11(9), 2018.
- Search: Proquest for "school solar microgrid"
- microgrids have environmental and technical advantages
- high capital costs are a barrier to microgrid integration
- analysis tool= Microgrid Decision Support Tool which aids decision making when it comes to microgrid project investment (OSS)
- incentives, such as renewable energy incentive programs, have large influence over the financial feasibility and optimal design of a microgrid
- shifting from centralized grid system to independent/decentralized system (microgrid) is gaining momentum
- direct advantages of microgrids include: high penetration of RE resources, improved energy security/reliability, reductions in GHG emissions/fuel consumption and power system operating costs (LCOE)
- when designing a microgrid system, imperative to perform a techno-economic analysis- determines feasibility
- renewable energy tax credits and tax deductions provide huge potential benefits (net metering, investment tax credits, exemptions/incentives, etc.)
- investment based incentives proved to have strongest impact- they decease high installation costs which has been the primary challenge of adopting RE systems
Fowlie et al., "Solar Microgrids and Remote Energy Access: How Weak Incentives Can Undermine Smart Technology" Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, 8(1), 2019.
- Search: Proquest for "school solar microgrid"
- microgrid can be integrated to national grid if and when it wants to
- households in this study were unwilling to pay for microgrid connection if a subsidized grid connection exists
- community engagement is critical- projects fails unless they start from within
- supporting commercial loads generates income
- understand and accommodate political context of the environment in which it will operate
Santos et al., "Framework for Microgrid Design Using Social, Economic, and Technical Analysis" Energies, 11(10), 2018.
- Search: Proquest for "school microgrid"
- solutions to local energy systems=microgrids!
- local characteristics such as social, political, legal and regulatory assert immense influence over project success/performance/feasibility
- relevant stakeholders are provided numerous benefits: economic, environmental and technical- see figure 1 for microgrid benefits
- consumers could potentially derive cheaper energy from microgrid than from main grid
- reduced load on distribution grids during peak time (peak load shaving) and system stability
- social benefits= increased public awareness, creation of job/research opportunities, energy saving incentives
- decreased reliance on fossil fuel=increased resilience
- design must consider household benefits, impact on local resources, management, utility regulation