The objective of this thesis is to evaluate the potential for wind as an alternative energy source to replace fossil fuels and reduce global CO2 emissions. From 1995 to 2007, fossil fuels as the major energy source accounted for an addition of 89.3 Gt of carbon to the atmosphere over this period, 29 % of which was transferred to the ocean, 15 % to the global biosphere, with the balance (57 %) retained in the atmosphere. Building a low-carbon and climate-friendly energy system is becoming increasingly urgent to combat the threat of global warming. / Engineering and Applied Sciences

A comprehensive set of experimental and numerical comparisons of the performance of two self-reacting point absorber wave energy converter (WEC) designs is undertaken in typical operating conditions. The designs are either currently, or have recently been, under development for commercialization. The experiments consist of a series of 1:25 scale model tests to quantify hydrodynamic parameters, motion dynamics, and power conversion. Each WEC is given a uniquely optimized power take off damping level. For hydrodynamic parameter identification, an optimization based method to simultaneously extract Morison drag and Coulomb friction coefficients from decay tests of under-damped, floating bodies is developed. The physical model features a re-configurable reacting body shape, a feedback controlled power take-off, a heave motion constraint system, and a mooring apparatus. A theoretical upper bound on power conversion for single body WECs, called Budal's upper bound, is extended to two body WECs. The numerical analyses are done in three phases. In the first phase, the WECs are constrained to heave motion and subjected to monochromatic waves. Quantitative comparisons are made of the WEC designs in terms of heave motion dynamics and power conversion with reference to theoretical upper bounds. Design implications of a reactive power take-off control scheme and relative motion constraints on the wave energy converters are investigated using an experimentally validated, frequency domain, numerical dynamics model. In the second phase, the WECs are constrained to heave motion and subjected to panchromatic waves. A time domain numerical model, validated by the experimental results, is used to compare the WECs in terms of power matrices, capture width matrices, and mean annual energy production. Results indicate that the second WEC design can convert 30% more energy, on average, than the first design given the conditions at a representative location near the West coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. In the last phase, the WECs are held with three legged, horizontal, moorings and subjected to monochromatic waves. Numerical simulations using panelized body geometries for calculations of Froude-Krylov, Morison drag, and hydrostatic loads are developed in ProteusDS. The simulation results---mechanical power, mooring forces, and dynamic motions---are compared to model test results. The moored WEC designs exhibit power conversion consistent with heave motion constrained results in some wave conditions. However, large pitch and roll motions severely degrade the power conversion of each WEC at wave frequencies equal to twice the pitch natural frequency. Using simulations, vertical stabilizing strakes, attached to the reacting bodies of the WECs are shown to increase the average power conversion up to 190% compared to the average power conversion of the WECs without strakes. / Graduate / scottb@uvic.ca

Renewable energy sources have become very popular in the last years in electricity generation thanks to the technological developments, the increase in the price of fossil fuels and the environmental concerns. These factors have also prompted Turkey to utilize her very rich renewable energy sources to meet the demand increasing around 7% annually. In this study, solar and wind energy potential of Turkey is analyzed in terms of its economics to find out whether these sources are real alternatives to fossil fuels in electricity generation. Before this analysis, wind and solar energy technologies and costs and wind and solar energy potential of Turkey are discussed. Then, models are set up for five technologies which are onshore wind, offshore wind, solar PV, solar trough and solar tower technologies models to calculate cash flows which are used to calculate payback, NPV, IRR, LCE and shut-down price to conduct economic analysis. In addition to base case scenario, uncertainty analysis is done for the most promising technologies which are onshore wind and solar tower technologies by evaluating NPV and LCE under uncertain environment. The main finding of these analyses is that only onshore wind projects are attractive in Turkey; none of other technologies is attractive. However, with a minor increase in the regulated price for solar thermal electricity, tower plant projects will also be attractive. / text

Manufacturer-specific models of wind turbines are favored for use in wind power interconnection studies. While they are detailed and accurate, their usages are limited to the terms of the non-disclosure agreement, thus stifling model sharing. The primary objective of the work proposed is to develop universal manufacturer-independent wind power plant models that can be shared, used, and improved without any restrictions by project developers, manufacturers, and engineers. Each of these models includes representations of general turbine aerodynamics, the mechanical drive-train, and the electrical characteristics of the generator and converter, as well as the control systems typically used. In order to determine how realistic model performance is, the performance of the one of the models (doubly fed induction generator model) has been validated using real-world wind power plant data. This work also documents selected applications of these models. / text

Electric energy constitutes one of the most crucial elements to almost every aspect of life of people. The modern electric power systems face several challenges such as efficiency, economics, sustainability, and reliability. Increase in electrical energy demand, distributed generations, integration of uncertain renewable energy resources, and demand side management are among the main underlying reasons of such growing complexity. Additionally, the elements of power systems are often vulnerable to failures because of many reasons, such as system limits, weak conditions, unexpected events, hidden failures, human errors, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters. One common factor complicating the operation of electrical power systems is the underlying uncertainties from the demands, supplies and failures of system components. Stochastic programming provides a mathematical framework for decision making under uncertainty. It enables a decision maker to incorporate some knowledge of the intrinsic uncertainty into the decision making process. In this dissertation, we focus on application of two-stage and multistage stochastic programming approaches to electric energy systems modeling and optimization. Particularly, we develop models and algorithms addressing the sustainability and reliability issues in power systems. First, we consider how to improve the reliability of power systems under severe failures or contingencies prone to cascading blackouts by so called islanding operations. We present a two-stage stochastic mixed-integer model to find optimal islanding operations as a powerful preventive action against cascading failures in case of extreme contingencies. Further, we study the properties of this problem and propose efficient solution methods to solve this problem for large-scale power systems. We present the numerical results showing the effectiveness of the model and investigate the performance of the solution methods. Next, we address the sustainability issue considering the integration of renewable energy resources into production planning of energy-intensive manufacturing industries. Recently, a growing number of manufacturing companies are considering renewable energies to meet their energy requirements to move towards green manufacturing as well as decreasing their energy costs. However, the intermittent nature of renewable energies imposes several difficulties in long term planning of how to efficiently exploit renewables. In this study, we propose a scheme for manufacturing companies to use onsite and grid renewable energies provided by their own investments and energy utilities as well as conventional grid energy to satisfy their energy requirements. We propose a multistage stochastic programming model and study an efficient solution method to solve this problem. We examine the proposed framework on a test case simulated based on a real-world semiconductor company. Moreover, we evaluate long-term profitability of such scheme via so called value of multistage stochastic programming.

Ο αγροτικός τομέας αποτελεί ένα σημαντικό παράγοντα οικονομικής και κοινωνικής συνοχής στην Ελλάδα, τόσο σε εθνικό όσο και σε περιφερειακό επίπεδο. Είναι ένας τομέας με μεγάλα περιθώρια αναπτύξεως, διότι η χώρα μας κατέχει σημαντικά συγκριτικά πλεονεκτήματα για την ανάπτυξή του. Για την ανάπτυξη του αγροτικού τομέα ακρογωνιαίο λίθο αποτελεί η οργανωμένη διαχείριση των καλλιεργειών. Ο κύριος παράγοντας για την ανάπτυξη των καλλιεργειών είναι η άρδευσή τους, και ακόμη περισσότερο ο βέλτιστος τρόπος άρδευσης. Σημαντικό ρόλο παίζει η εκπαίδευση των καλλιεργητών στην εξοικονόμηση νερού, για παράδειγμα σχετικά με τις ανάγκες σε χρόνο άρδευσης, τη ρύθμιση της ποσότητας νερού ανάλογα με το είδος της καλλιέργειας. Στην Ελληνική πραγματικότητα σε πολλές περιοχές δεν υφίσταται υποδομή της ΔΕΗ, και αυτός είναι ένας από τους βασικούς λόγους για τον οποίο οι καλλιεργητές χρησιμοποιούν πατροπαράδοτους τρόπους για την άρδευση, όπως τα αυλάκια, οι λεκάνες και διαδικασίες που στηρίζονται στη χρήση πετρελαίου. Οι συγκεκριμένοι τρόποι έχουν αρνητικές περιβαλλοντικές και οικονομικές επιπτώσεις. Σκοπός αυτής της μεταπτυχιακής διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι οικονομοτεχνικής αξιολόγησης συστημάτων ανανεώσιμων πηγών ενέργειας για την άρδευση γεωργικών εκτάσεων στο Θεσσαλικό κάμπο με τη χρήση φωτοβολταϊκών στοιχείων ή συστήματος Βιομάζας, σε μία περιοχή στην οποία δεν είναι συνδεδεμένη με το δίκτυο της ΔΕΗ. Το πρώτο στάδιο περιλαμβάνει µία γενική αναφορά στις Ανανεώσιμες Πηγές Ενέργειας (ΑΠΕ), στην ανάπτυξή τους και η χρήση τους στον Ευρωπαϊκό Χώρο. Σε δεύτερο στάδιο παρουσιάζονται πληροφορίες για την ηλιακή ενέργεια και τα φωτοβολταϊκά στοιχεία, σχετικά µε την κατασκευή, τη λειτουργία και τις εφαρμογές τους. Το τρίτο στάδιο αναπτύσσεται η έννοια της Βιομάζας, οι επιπτώσεις και οι προοπτικές της. Στο τέταρτο στάδιο γίνεται αναφορά στους τρόπους άρδευσης γεωργικών εκτάσεων και τα πλεονεκτήματα και τα μειονεκτήματα αυτών. Το πέμπτο στάδιο αναφέρεται στη μεθοδολογία αξιολόγησης συστημάτων άρδευσης με την χρήση φωτοβολταϊκών και με τη χρήση συστήματος Βιομάζας. Στη συνέχεια ακολουθεί η παρουσίαση του προβλήματος, η πιλοτική εφαρμογή με τη χρήση διαφόρων παραδοχών και τα αποτελέσματα αυτών. Στο τέλος παραθέτονται τα συμπεράσματα. / The agricultural sector constitute an important factor for the economic and social cohesion of Greece, both at national and regional level. It is a sector, which has great growth margins, because our country holds major comparative advantages for development. The rational crop management is the cornerstone of agricultural sector. The optimal way of irrigation influence the crop growth. Grower have to be educated so as understand the importance to save water in the procedure of irrigation, for example how often they have to irrigate their crops, the amount of water considering the type of crop, et all.. In the Greek reality there are areas that have no electric power supply by the grid system, and this is one of the main reasons why irrigation is achieved using traditional ways such as furrows, basins and by fuel powered individual pumps. These ways have negative environmental and economic consequences. The aim of this graduate diploma thesis is the study of the financial and technical assessment of renewable energy systems for the irrigation of agriculture areas in Thessaly (Greece) using photovoltaic (PV) elements or biomass system, in an area which is not connected to the grid. In the first stage of the dissertation are presented a general introduction to the Renewable Energy Sources (RES), their development and their use in the European Area. In a second stage we proceed with the solar energy systems and the PV elements (construction, operation, applications and cost).. The third stage are mentioned the system of biomass, the impacts and prospects. Following we refer to the ways of farmland irrigation and their advantages/disadvantages. The whole irrigation problem is examined and alternative solutions are proposed. Finally, the results are presented and conclusions are drawn.

Οι Ανανεώσιμες Πηγές Ενέργειας έχουν διεισδύσει στη ζωή μας, αποτέλεσμα της κλιματικής αλλαγής αλλά και των αυξανόμενων απαιτήσεων του ανθρώπου για ηλεκτρική ενέργεια. Όσο η τεχνολογία αναπτύσσεται, η απαίτηση για φθηνότερο κόστος ενέργειας αλλά και φιλικής με το περιβάλλον έκανε επιτακτική τη δημιουργία της κατανεμημένης παραγωγής. Η ανάπτυξη των μικροδικτύων βοήθησε να φτάσει το ηλεκτρικό ρεύμα ακόμα και στην πιο απομακρυσμένη περιοχή, όπου το κεντρικό δίκτυο δε γινόταν να φτάσει λόγω των οικονομικών αλλά και τεχνικών μειονεκτημάτων. Μέσω των αναπτυγμένων μορφών αυτομάτου ελέγχου, δόθηκε η δυνατότητα ελέγχου των συστημάτων υβριδικών μικροδικτύων, δικτύων τα οποία αποτελούνται απο ΑΠΕ και μπορούν να δρουν αυτόνομα σε μια περιοχή, χωρίς την ανάγκη του κεντρικού δικτύου. Έτσι μπορούμε να ελέγξουμε την ενεργό και άεργο ισχύ που παράγει ή καταναλώνει ένα μικροδίκτυο με τη βοήθεια του droop ελέγχου, ο οποίος μας δίνει τη δυνατότητα να ελέγχουμε την ενέργεια μέσω της τάσης και της συχνότητας. Στο κεφάλαιο 1 παρουσιάζονται τα χαρακτηριστικά του υβριδικού μικροδικτύου, περιγράφοντας τις Ανανεώσιμες Πηγές Ενέργειας. Περιγράφεται επίσης η μέθοδος ελέγχου της ενέργειας μέσω συχνότητας και τάσης, droop. Στο κεφάλαιο 2 αναλύεται το μοντέλο μιας 3Φ πηγής τάσης προερχόμενης από αντιστροφέα του οποίου η έξοδος “βλέπει” ένα LC φίλτρο που χρησιμοποιεί μετασχηματισμό Park. Έτσι επιτρέπεται ο σχεδιασμός του ελεγκτή τάσης με σκοπό την εξομάλυνση της τάσης εξόδου σε συνθήκες γραμμικού φορτίου. Για να λάβουμε μηδενικό σφάλμα μόνιμης κατάστασης χρησιμοποιούμε ελεγκτές PID και τους εφαρμόζουμε στο block PWM , οι οποίοι βοηθούν στην επιτάχυνση της μεταβατικής απόκρισης του αντιστροφέα. Ο 7 αντιστροφέας συνδέεται με 3Φ ωμικό φορτίο του οποίου οι τιμές αλλάζουν για να εξετάσουμε τις διαταραχές οι οποίες δημιουργούνται. Η προσομοιίωση γίνεται στο περιβάλλον Matlab/Simulink και παρουσιάζονται οι γραφικές αποκρίσεις συνοδεία σχολίων. Στο κεφάλαιο 3 ο αντιστροφέας αντί να συνδεθεί με το 3Φ ωμικό φορτίο, συνδέεται με το δίκτυο και εξετάζουμε τη συμπεριφορά του συστήματος μας. Προσομοιώνεται στο περιβάλλον Matlab/Simulink και παρουσιάζονται οι γραφικές αποκρίσεις συνοδεία σχολίων. / Renewable Energy Sources (RES) have slowly filter in our lives as a result of climate change and growing human demands for electricity. As technology develops , the demand for less expensive energy, but also environmentally friendly , made imperative the creation of distributed generation. The development of microgrids helped to have electricity even in the most remote areas , where the central network could not reach due to economic and technical disadvantages. Via developed forms of automatic control ,we were granted control of hybrid microgrid systems. These networks are consisted of RES and may act autonomously in an area without the need of the central network. So we were able to control the active and reactive power that a microgrid produces or consumes, using the droop control, that enables us to control energy through frequency and voltage. Chapter 1 presents the characteristics of the hybrid microgrid , describing the Renewable Energy Sources . What is also described is the power control method through frequency and voltage (droop control). Chapter 2 analyzes the model of a three phase voltage source derived from the inverter which is connected to an LC filter that uses Park's transformation. This allows the design of the voltage controller in order to normalize the output voltage in linear load conditions. To obtain zero steady-state error we use PID controllers and we also apply PWM. The PID controllers accelerate the inverter transient response. The inverter is connected to a three phase resistive load whose values vary in order to observe the disturbances that are created. The simulation takes part in the Matlab/Simulnik environment and graphic comments are presented and followed by responses.

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται τη μελέτη μίας διάταξης ανεμογεννήτριας 1kW με σύγχρονη μηχανή μόνιμων μαγνητών και με ανορθωτική γέφυρα διόδων στην έξοδό της, καθώς και τη διασύνδεση αυτής με το εναλλασσόμενο δίκτυο χαμηλής τάσης. Επιπρόσθετα, πραγματεύεται την κατασκευή του μονοφασικού αντιστροφέα που ενσωματώνεται στην εν λόγω τοπολογία. Η εργασία αυτή εκπονήθηκε στο Εργαστήριο Ηλεκτρομηχανικής Μετατροπής Ενέργειας του Τμήματος Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών και Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών της Πολυτεχνικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. Απώτερος σκοπός είναι η συνολική κατασκευή μίας διάταξης δύο βαθμίδων για τη διασύνδεση της ανεμογεννήτριας με το δίκτυο χαμηλής τάσης. Οι διατάξεις αυτές περιλαμβάνουν μια πρώτη βαθμίδα ανύψωσης της τάσης της ανεμογεννήτριας μέσω της οποίας εκτελείται ένας αλγόριθμος εύρεσης του σημείου μέγιστης ισχύος της ανεμογεννήτριας (MPPT) και μια δεύτερη βαθμίδα που μετατρέπει τη συνεχή τάση σε εναλλασσόμενη (αντιστροφέας) και διατηρεί σταθερή την τάση στον πυκνωτή διασύνδεσης που παρεμβάλλεται μεταξύ των δύο βαθμίδων με έλεγχο της ενεργού ισχύος που εγχέει στο δίκτυο, ενώ παράλληλα παράγει ρεύμα συμφασικό με την τάση του δικτύου (μοναδιαίος συντελεστής ισχύος). Αυτός ο αντιστροφέας αποτελεί και ένα το κύριο αντικείμενο μελέτης και κατασκευής της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας. Αρχικά παρουσιάζονται τα πλεονεκτήματα και οι δυσκολίες στην εκμετάλλευση ανανεώσιμων πηγών ενέργειας και ιδιαίτερα της αιολικής, αναλύονται οι προοπτικές σήμερα, ενώ παρατίθενται και συγκρίνονται οι τεχνολογίες διασύνδεσης ανεμογεννητριών στο δίκτυο χαμηλής, μέσης και υψηλής τάσης στοχεύοντας στο να δοθεί στον αναγνώστη μια σφαιρική άποψη του υπό μελέτη θέματος. Στη συνέχεια παραθέτουμε μια θεωρητική ανάλυση όλων των εμπλεκομένων μονάδων της τοπολογίας. Ιδιαίτερη βαρύτητα δίνεται στην ανάλυση της λειτουργίας του μονοφασικού αντιστροφέα και κυρίως στη μέθοδο παλμοδότησης, που είναι γνωστή υπό τον όρο “Ημιτονοειδής Διαμόρφωση του Εύρους Παλμών” (SPWM). Επόμενο βήμα αποτέλεσε η διαστασιολόγηση ολόκληρου του υπό μελέτη συστήματος, η μελέτη διαφόρων μεθόδων ελέγχου της ροής ισχύος του αντιστροφέα και η μετέπειτα προσομοίωση του μονοφασικού αντιστροφέα και των μεθόδων ελέγχου που μελετήθηκαν. Τέλος αναλύουμε τα τεχνικά χαρακτηριστικά του αντιστροφέα που κατασκευάστηκε, καθώς και των κυκλωμάτων από τα οποία αποτελείται και περιγράφουμε τη διαδικασία παραγωγής του κώδικα προγραμματισμού του μικροελεγκτή καθώς και των τεχνικών που χρησιμοποιήσαμε για τη ρύθμιση των παλμών. Παράλληλα παραθέτουμε παλμογραφήματα και μετρήσεις που προέκυψαν από τα πειράματα που διενεργήσαμε μετά την ολοκλήρωση της κατασκευής σε εργαστηριακό περιβάλλον. / This diploma thesis has to do with the study and the construction of a single phase inverter for the interconnection of a 1kW wind power generator with the low voltage grid. This research was conducted in the Laboratory of Electromechanical Energy Conversion, in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, of the University of Patras. The ultimate aim of this work is the construction of an inverter in order to interconnect the wind turbine with the low voltage power grid with control of active power injected into the grid and generating current, in phase to the grid voltage (unity power factor). Initially, the advantages and challenges in exploiting the renewable energy sources, especially wind power, are analyzed; and today’s perspectives are seen as well. We also present technologies of interconnecting wind turbine technologies to the high, medium and low voltage grid, aiming to provide a complete presentation of the studied subject. We then present a theoretical analysis of all the topology units involved. Particular emphasis is given on the analysis of the inverter operation and especially on the single-phase pulse width modulation method, also known as SPWM. The next step was the sizing of the entire system, the study of different methods to control the flow of the inverter’s power and the subsequent simulation of the single-phase inverter and the control methods that were studied. We conclude by analyzing the technical characteristics of the inverter constructed, and the circuits that consist it and describe the logic of the flowchart of the microcontroller programming code and the techniques used to set the pulses. The final stage is the conduction of experiments with the construction in the lab and the writing of the results.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the development of new technologies in the energy industry and to explore how it is possible for these technologies to compete with incumbent technologies in a mature market. The pursuit of renewable energy has been at the forefront of national government and international institutional policy in recent years due to the desire to improve the security of energy supply and to reduce CO2e emissions. This thesis aims to contribute to this policy debate, particularly by focussing on the issue of governmental support for infant energy technologies. In order to conduct this investigation, two main topics have been analysed. Firstly, learning curves have been studied to establish whether support for new technologies can be justified by the potential cost reductions which arise from learning-by-doing. This research evolved into the investigation of econometric issues which affect learning curves. Patent counts are used to demonstrate an alternative output-based measurement of industry wide knowledge stock, which is used as a proxy for innovation. This alternative specification of knowledge stock corroborates recent findings in the literature, that learning curves which model cost using only cumulative capacity leads to the over-estimation of cost reductions from learning-by-doing and the failure to capture cost reductions resulting from innovation. This suggests that government support for infant technologies should form a dual strategy of incentivising the deployment of generators as well as encouraging innovation, instead of using feed-in tariffs or renewable obligations which narrowly focus on increasing deployment. A great deal of progress has been made in identifying further econometric problems affecting learning curves in recent years. In the progress of this study, it was identified that cumulative capacity, the cost of wind power and knowledge stock are all non-stationary time series variables. The hypothesis that these variables are cointegrated was rejected by the Westerlund test, which implies that learning curves produce spurious results. This has major consequences for government policy as it suggests that learning curves should not be used to justify support for infant technologies. Secondly, a choice experiment was conducted to determine Scottish households’ willingness to pay for electricity generated from renewable sources compared to conventional sources such as coal, oil and gas. A labelled choice experiment was used to determine whether households have preferences between onshore wind power, offshore wind power and wave power. The results of a latent class model reveal that the majority of households (76.5%) are willing to pay an additional £89-£196 per year to obtain electricity from renewable resources instead of conventional sources. However, there is no statistically significant difference in the willingness to pay between the renewable technologies included in the choice experiment. The latent class model also illustrated that there is a sizeable minority (23.5%) who are opposed to renewable energy development. Older respondents and those less concerned about CO2 emissions are significantly more likely to form part of this group at the 5% level of significance. The study also included a unique addition by identifying households which purchased a house in the previous seven years. Interacting the actual transaction prices of these houses in a multinomial logit model suggested that households may be concerned about renewable energy developments devaluing their properties or the additional expense required to power larger houses. Due to the increasing difficulty of conducting choice experiments in the UK, a novel method of eliciting choice experiment responses from online advertising was tested and was found to be a cost-effective method of eliciting choice experiment responses. Overall, the research indicates that caution should be exercised when interpreting the results of a choice experiment which elicits responses using Internet advertising. It can be observed that the pseudo R2 of the Internet-based sample is lower than the mail-based sample and that the mean respondent to the Internet-based choice experiment is willing to pay significantly more for renewable electricity than the mean respondent to the mail-based choice experiment at the 5% level of significance. Furthermore, the mean willingness to pay estimate in the Internet-based choice experiment appears to be unrealistically high. Further research investigating the elasticity of survey responses to the prize fund on offer would be valuable in identifying the most cost-effective strategy to obtain responses and to generate a more representative sample.

No description available.