• Energy Research

In order to increase the rate of transformation of traditional grid to a future Smart Grid, there is a huge necessity for enabling the end-user to become an activity participant. Technological and financial considerations are key driving factors in empowering the end-user. From a technological point of view end-user needs to manage his own load, power generated from renewables and also in providing the services to the grid. A promising and innovative solution to meet these needs of the end user in LV network is the Open UPQC (Open Unified Power Quality Conditioner). This device has been designed to meet different tasks required by an end-user (Power Quality, Demand Response, Ancillary Service, etc.). This paper presents the Shunt Unit of Open UPQC with RES (Renewable Energy Sources) as a solution which can provide all the necessary functionalities required by an end-user in enabling him to become an active participant in electrical grid transformation. The performance of the device is demonstrated using simulation results under online and island operation modes.

In order to increase the rate of transformation of traditional grid to a future Smart Grid, there is a huge necessity for enabling the end-user to become an activity participant. Technological and financial considerations are key driving factors in empowering the end-user. From a technological point of view end-user needs to manage his own load, power generated from renewables and also in providing the services to the grid. A promising and innovative solution to meet these needs of the end user in LV network is the Open UPQC (Open Unified Power Quality Conditioner). This device has been designed to meet different tasks required by an end-user (Power Quality, Demand Response, Ancillary Service, etc.). This paper presents the Shunt Unit of Open UPQC with RES (Renewable Energy Sources) as a solution which can provide all the necessary functionalities required by an end-user in enabling him to become an active participant in electrical grid transformation. The performance of the device is demonstrated using simulation results under online and island operation modes.

The paper reports some experimental measurement results concerning energy consumptions and Power Quality in lighting. Therefore, the power consumptions and harmonic absorptions of several types of lamps are analyzed. The recorded power consumptions put in evidence the different lamps impact related to the used luminaire technologies. Moreover the recorded harmonic absorptions show an interesting characterization of harmonic spectrum variability of the lamps.

The paper reports some experimental measurement results concerning energy consumptions and Power Quality in lighting. Therefore, the power consumptions and harmonic absorptions of several types of lamps are analyzed. The recorded power consumptions put in evidence the different lamps impact related to the used luminaire technologies. Moreover the recorded harmonic absorptions show an interesting characterization of harmonic spectrum variability of the lamps.

Renewable energy penetration has been greatly increasing in these years and photovoltaic (PV) energy seems to be one of the main renewable source, widely and easily available. To valuate with good accuracy PV energy production usually designers need complicate software tools. In this paper a simple method to estimate the PV plant Yearly Energy production is presented. The proposed method employs only the available data of the PV plant (as location and PV nominal power). The analytical method presented here can be a profitable tool for design engineers in planning PV considering different locations.

Renewable energy penetration has been greatly increasing in these years and photovoltaic (PV) energy seems to be one of the main renewable source, widely and easily available. To valuate with good accuracy PV energy production usually designers need complicate software tools. In this paper a simple method to estimate the PV plant Yearly Energy production is presented. The proposed method employs only the available data of the PV plant (as location and PV nominal power). The analytical method presented here can be a profitable tool for design engineers in planning PV considering different locations.

The evolution of the electrical energy system toward a smart model has already started. Smart metering, electric vehicles, renewable resources, transmission and distribution advanced grid automation are some example of this ongoing change. A further step in this process is the interaction between final customers - often residential - and the distribution grid. Those customers shall provide new services to the distribution utility which can help them to better and more safely manage the grid. The SmartDomoGrid project - cofounded by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development - is aimed at designing, implementing and testing a possible scheme for the grid-customer interaction in a real operation environment. The paper is focused on the architecture and several use cases proposed and analyzed within the project.

The evolution of the electrical energy system toward a smart model has already started. Smart metering, electric vehicles, renewable resources, transmission and distribution advanced grid automation are some example of this ongoing change. A further step in this process is the interaction between final customers - often residential - and the distribution grid. Those customers shall provide new services to the distribution utility which can help them to better and more safely manage the grid. The SmartDomoGrid project - cofounded by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development - is aimed at designing, implementing and testing a possible scheme for the grid-customer interaction in a real operation environment. The paper is focused on the architecture and several use cases proposed and analyzed within the project.