Standalone Microgrids (MGs) play a very crucial role in these kinds of a rural area … Contact online >>
Standalone Microgrids (MGs) play a very crucial role in these kinds of a rural area
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Electrical and electronic engineering
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Technological University Dublin 2021.
In this thesis, a power management-based droop control is proposed for accurate power sharing according to the power availability in a particular MG. Inverters can have different power setpoints during the grid-connected mode, but in the standalone mode, they all need their power setpoints to be adjusted according to their power ratings. On the basis of this, a power management-based droop control strategy is developed to achieve the power-sharing among the neighbouring microgrids. The proposed method helps the MG inverters to share the power according to its ratings and availability, which does not restrict the inverters for equal power-sharing.
The paralleled inverters in coupled MGs need to work in both interconnected mode and standalone mode and should be able to transfer between modes seamlessly. An enhanced droop control is proposed to maintain the frequency and voltage of the MGs to their nominal value, which also helps the neighbouring MGs for seamless (de)coupling. This thesis also presents a mathematical model of the interconnected neighbouring microgrid for stability and robustness analysis. Finally, a laboratory prototype model of two MGs is developed to test the effectiveness of the proposed control strategies.
https://doi /10.21427/np9f-hd93
Electrical and Computer Engineering Commons
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(EnergyTech Editor''s Note: Data Centers are among the fastest growing markets for both microgrids and the next generation of power resources. This growth also is a challenge to utilities also trying to deal with EV infrastructure expansion and incorporating intermittent resources such as renewables. This story in Data Center Frontier speaks to some of those constraints in the Irish market and beyond. Reposted with permission. Both EnergyTech and Data Center Frontier are part of Endeavor Business Media).
What happens when a data center market runs short of electricity? As cloud computing grows faster than local utility grids, several of the world''s largest and most strategic data center markets are facing power constraints that pose a major challenge to the long-term growth of the Internet.
The challenge is seen most recently in Dublin, Ireland, which has emerged as a major hub for cloud platforms offering services in Europe. After years of expansion, the growth of data center construction near Dublin has been effectively capped by Ireland''s grid regulator operator, forcing utility EirGrid to halt talks on about 30 proposed projects.
Ireland''s prime minister, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, said last week that there "can''t be a moratorium" on digital infrastructure. Existing projects will move forward, and are expected to add at least 800 megawatts of additional capacity in the Dublin region through 2026.
Beyond that, prospects for additional data centers will be guided by how much energy Ireland can bring online, including at least 6 gigawatts of offshore wind power currently under development.
Dublin is hardly alone. Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Singapore have all slowed data center development as they study the best way to manage available supplies of power and land.
"I believe we''re a canary in the coal mine," said Garry Connolly, President and Founder of Host in Ireland. "It''s because of our success that the demand is so great."
The looming power challenges have the potential to reshape data center geography and design, as operators seek to extend their operations in key strategic markets. The bottlenecks could create submarkets in adjacent regions with greater availability of land and power.
The capacity crunch may also accelerate investment in new technologies that can support data center growth without straining local grids, such as Microsoft''s plans to share energy from their data center UPS battery storage systems with Ireland''s power grid.
Across the globe, data center development has been accelerated by the growth of cloud computing, and the accelerated shift to digital services during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, new cloud campuses are now seeking 100 to 200 megawatts of electricity, a dramatic increase from just a few years ago.
As a small country with a regulated power industry, Ireland''s grid has not been able to keep pace with that growth.
"There''s an actual grid physics issue," said Connolly. "If I want 100 times more photons down a fiber cable, I can just change the (network) cards on each end. If I want the same on a grid, it''s a whole different process. It''s transformers and substations."
"It really is this confluence of a very positive 2030, but a very challenging 2022," Connolly added.
Ireland''s power grid currently supports around 5.5 gigawatts of power. About 1.2 gigawatts is currently dedicated to Ireland''s data centers, which Connolly estimates are operating at about 56 percent of that capacity at present, leaving some headroom for existing facilities to fill with customers.
UPDATE: On July 27, the Irish government released its policy statement on the role of data centers in the country''s economy and power grid, which states a "preference" for facilities that boost economic activity, embrace sustainability strategies, and reduce their impact of the grid.
"The capacity constraints experienced by our electricity system today, and the binding carbon budgets that require rapid decarbonization of energy use across all sectors, necessarily mean that not all existing demand for data centre development can be accommodated," the statement reads. "Dublin''s transmission system has been pushed to its limit, with EirGrid advising the region will not be able to accommodate new requests for power from data centres until significant reinforcement of the transmission network is delivered, through the Power Up Dublin Plan. Substantial investment in infrastructure in Dublin and other constrained areas is required to address these challenges, and facilitate a smarter, more efficient grid for all users."
This graphic summarizes the key factors and strategies that will guide future development decisions.
As they seek to sort through their options, data center operators are left with a number of strategies to enable continued growth in Dublin despite the power constraints. These include:
•Adding on-site generation, with natural gas the most likely fuel option.
•Shifting site selection to new areas that have more power and available land.
•Updating servers and designs to add compute capacity to existing space.
•Embracing strategies to use UPS units to share power back to the grid, a strategy now being pursued by Microsoft in its Dublin operations.
The longer-term outlook is more promising, as Ireland brings more renewable power onto its grid and data centers develop ways to incorporate energy storage, microgrids, grid-interactive solutions and hydrogen fuel cells, all of which can reduce the strain on local grids.
"The inconvenient truth is that data centers are huge consumers of power," said Niall Molloy, CEO of Echelon Data Centres. "But equally inconvenient is the fact that without them, we would not be enjoying the benefits of 5G, e-commerce, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Given, therefore, that data centers are here to stay, it''s up to us – the facilities'' owners and operators – to make provision to power them sustainably, cleanly and with least impact on the grid."
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