This study focuses on the design, construction and operation of a distributed generation system based on micro-hydro technology. The project is sited in the Totara Valley, a small rural community approximately 70km from the Massey University, Turitea campus, Palmerston North. The Massey University Centre for Energy Research (MUCER) has a long history of renewable energy research within the Totara Valley community. This project complements these existing schemes and provides a foundation for future research into distributed generation technologies. The project encompasses the following objectives: - to gain practical experience in the design, engineering and implementation of a distributed generation system in rural New Zealand; - to evaluate contemporary micro-hydro technology and compare the performance of this equipment in a theoretical and practical context; - to identify barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of micro-hydro systems in rural New Zealand; - to develop a spreadsheet based life cycle costing tool. The results from this study demonstrate that economic considerations are the fundamental aspect to be considered when assessing the long-term viability of these projects. The viability of micro-hydro projects are primarily determined by four factors: - the volume and head (height) of water available above the turbine site; - the length and therefore the cost of the pipeline required for transporting water to the turbine; - the legal and administrative costs involved in obtaining a resource consent to maintain access to the water resources; - the prices received and paid for electricity. Considerable charges were payable to the local authority to secure and maintain the right to harness the water resources at this site. This cost contributed considerable risk to the project and creates a significant barrier to establishing similar systems at other sites. The reduction of resource consent charges to levels that fairly reflect the negligible environmental impacts of these projects would encourage the adoption of this technology and deliver benefits to rural New Zealand communities.

This study focuses on the design, construction and operation of a distributed generation system based on micro-hydro technology. The project is sited in the Totara Valley, a small rural community approximately 70km from the Massey University, Turitea campus, Palmerston North. The Massey University Centre for Energy Research (MUCER) has a long history of renewable energy research within the Totara Valley community. This project complements these existing schemes and provides a foundation for future research into distributed generation technologies. The project encompasses the following objectives: - to gain practical experience in the design, engineering and implementation of a distributed generation system in rural New Zealand; - to evaluate contemporary micro-hydro technology and compare the performance of this equipment in a theoretical and practical context; - to identify barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of micro-hydro systems in rural New Zealand; - to develop a spreadsheet based life cycle costing tool. The results from this study demonstrate that economic considerations are the fundamental aspect to be considered when assessing the long-term viability of these projects. The viability of micro-hydro projects are primarily determined by four factors: - the volume and head (height) of water available above the turbine site; - the length and therefore the cost of the pipeline required for transporting water to the turbine; - the legal and administrative costs involved in obtaining a resource consent to maintain access to the water resources; - the prices received and paid for electricity. Considerable charges were payable to the local authority to secure and maintain the right to harness the water resources at this site. This cost contributed considerable risk to the project and creates a significant barrier to establishing similar systems at other sites. The reduction of resource consent charges to levels that fairly reflect the negligible environmental impacts of these projects would encourage the adoption of this technology and deliver benefits to rural New Zealand communities.

This study focuses on the design, construction and operation of a distributed generation system based on micro-hydro technology. The project is sited in the Totara Valley, a small rural community approximately 70km from the Massey University, Turitea campus, Palmerston North. The Massey University Centre for Energy Research (MUCER) has a long history of renewable energy research within the Totara Valley community. This project complements these existing schemes and provides a foundation for future research into distributed generation technologies. The project encompasses the following objectives: - to gain practical experience in the design, engineering and implementation of a distributed generation system in rural New Zealand; - to evaluate contemporary micro-hydro technology and compare the performance of this equipment in a theoretical and practical context; - to identify barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of micro-hydro systems in rural New Zealand; - to develop a spreadsheet based life cycle costing tool. The results from this study demonstrate that economic considerations are the fundamental aspect to be considered when assessing the long-term viability of these projects. The viability of micro-hydro projects are primarily determined by four factors: - the volume and head (height) of water available above the turbine site; - the length and therefore the cost of the pipeline required for transporting water to the turbine; - the legal and administrative costs involved in obtaining a resource consent to maintain access to the water resources; - the prices received and paid for electricity. Considerable charges were payable to the local authority to secure and maintain the right to harness the water resources at this site. This cost contributed considerable risk to the project and creates a significant barrier to establishing similar systems at other sites. The reduction of resource consent charges to levels that fairly reflect the negligible environmental impacts of these projects would encourage the adoption of this technology and deliver benefits to rural New Zealand communities.

This study focuses on the design, construction and operation of a distributed generation system based on micro-hydro technology. The project is sited in the Totara Valley, a small rural community approximately 70km from the Massey University, Turitea campus, Palmerston North. The Massey University Centre for Energy Research (MUCER) has a long history of renewable energy research within the Totara Valley community. This project complements these existing schemes and provides a foundation for future research into distributed generation technologies. The project encompasses the following objectives: - to gain practical experience in the design, engineering and implementation of a distributed generation system in rural New Zealand; - to evaluate contemporary micro-hydro technology and compare the performance of this equipment in a theoretical and practical context; - to identify barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of micro-hydro systems in rural New Zealand; - to develop a spreadsheet based life cycle costing tool. The results from this study demonstrate that economic considerations are the fundamental aspect to be considered when assessing the long-term viability of these projects. The viability of micro-hydro projects are primarily determined by four factors: - the volume and head (height) of water available above the turbine site; - the length and therefore the cost of the pipeline required for transporting water to the turbine; - the legal and administrative costs involved in obtaining a resource consent to maintain access to the water resources; - the prices received and paid for electricity. Considerable charges were payable to the local authority to secure and maintain the right to harness the water resources at this site. This cost contributed considerable risk to the project and creates a significant barrier to establishing similar systems at other sites. The reduction of resource consent charges to levels that fairly reflect the negligible environmental impacts of these projects would encourage the adoption of this technology and deliver benefits to rural New Zealand communities.

This study focuses on the design, construction and operation of a distributed generation system based on micro-hydro technology. The project is sited in the Totara Valley, a small rural community approximately 70km from the Massey University, Turitea campus, Palmerston North. The Massey University Centre for Energy Research (MUCER) has a long history of renewable energy research within the Totara Valley community. This project complements these existing schemes and provides a foundation for future research into distributed generation technologies. The project encompasses the following objectives: - to gain practical experience in the design, engineering and implementation of a distributed generation system in rural New Zealand; - to evaluate contemporary micro-hydro technology and compare the performance of this equipment in a theoretical and practical context; - to identify barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of micro-hydro systems in rural New Zealand; - to develop a spreadsheet based life cycle costing tool. The results from this study demonstrate that economic considerations are the fundamental aspect to be considered when assessing the long-term viability of these projects. The viability of micro-hydro projects are primarily determined by four factors: - the volume and head (height) of water available above the turbine site; - the length and therefore the cost of the pipeline required for transporting water to the turbine; - the legal and administrative costs involved in obtaining a resource consent to maintain access to the water resources; - the prices received and paid for electricity. Considerable charges were payable to the local authority to secure and maintain the right to harness the water resources at this site. This cost contributed considerable risk to the project and creates a significant barrier to establishing similar systems at other sites. The reduction of resource consent charges to levels that fairly reflect the negligible environmental impacts of these projects would encourage the adoption of this technology and deliver benefits to rural New Zealand communities.

This study focuses on the design, construction and operation of a distributed generation system based on micro-hydro technology. The project is sited in the Totara Valley, a small rural community approximately 70km from the Massey University, Turitea campus, Palmerston North. The Massey University Centre for Energy Research (MUCER) has a long history of renewable energy research within the Totara Valley community. This project complements these existing schemes and provides a foundation for future research into distributed generation technologies. The project encompasses the following objectives: - to gain practical experience in the design, engineering and implementation of a distributed generation system in rural New Zealand; - to evaluate contemporary micro-hydro technology and compare the performance of this equipment in a theoretical and practical context; - to identify barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of micro-hydro systems in rural New Zealand; - to develop a spreadsheet based life cycle costing tool. The results from this study demonstrate that economic considerations are the fundamental aspect to be considered when assessing the long-term viability of these projects. The viability of micro-hydro projects are primarily determined by four factors: - the volume and head (height) of water available above the turbine site; - the length and therefore the cost of the pipeline required for transporting water to the turbine; - the legal and administrative costs involved in obtaining a resource consent to maintain access to the water resources; - the prices received and paid for electricity. Considerable charges were payable to the local authority to secure and maintain the right to harness the water resources at this site. This cost contributed considerable risk to the project and creates a significant barrier to establishing similar systems at other sites. The reduction of resource consent charges to levels that fairly reflect the negligible environmental impacts of these projects would encourage the adoption of this technology and deliver benefits to rural New Zealand communities.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Η παρούσα διπλωματική έχει ως αντικείμενο την μελέτη και μοντελοποίηση ενός συστήματος μικροστροβίλου και ανεμογεννήτριας ως συστατικά στοιχεία ενός συστήματος κατανεμημένης παραγωγής. Παρουσιάζεται αναλυτικά η έννοια της κατανεμημένης παραγωγής καθώς επίσης και οι τεχνολογίες που χρησιμοποιούνται σε αυτή, ενώ ένα κεφάλαιο είναι αποκλειστικά αφιερωμένο στην τεχνολογία των μικροστρόβιλων. Στο τελευταίο κεφάλαιο γίνεται μια μελέτη της δυναμικής συμπεριφοράς ενός συστήματος μικροστροβίλου σε μεταβλητές συνθήκες φόρτισης καθώς επίσης και της απόκρισης του στην περίπτωση προσθήκης ενός επιπλέον φορτίου, την κάλυψη του οποίου αναλαμβάνει ως εφεδρικό μέσω μία ανεμογεννήτρια σταθερών στροφών. / The current diploma thesis deals with the development of a distributed generation system with a micro-turbine and a wind-turbine as its basic components. What is more, it is given the meaning of the “distributed generation”, we analyze the basic characteristics of it and we present the most important technologies that complete the distributed generation. Furthermore we refer to the micro-turbine technology and its characteristics in the third chapter of this essay. In the last chapter we analyze the dynamic response of a micro-turbine based system in variable load conditions and the response of the system when an additional load, which is powered by a fixed speed wind-turbine, is added in the micro grid.

Η παρούσα διδακτορική εργασία αφορά στο σχεδιασμό και εφαρμογή ελέγχου σε κατανεμημένη παραγωγή ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας ώστε να είναι δυνατή η ένταξή της σε μικροδίκτυα στο δίκτυο χαμηλής τάσης. O σχεδιασμός του ελέγχου αποσκοπεί: 1) Στην δυνατότητα σύνδεσης-αποσύνδεσης (Plug and play) της κατανεμημένης παραγωγής στο μικροδίκτυο χωρίς καμμία ιδιαίτερη παρέμβαση από κεντρικό έλεγχο. 2) Η κατανεμημένη παραγωγή, που περιλαμβάνει συστοιχία κυττάρων καυσίμου και ανεμογεννήτρια, πρέπει να παρέχει στήριξη ενεργού και άεργου ισχύος στο μικροδίκτυο διανομής όταν συμβαίνουν διαταραχές φορτίου. 3) Να τροφοδοτεί όλο το φορτίο σε κατάσταση νησιδοποίησης, στην οποία θα μπορεί να μεταβαίνει είτε λόγω σφάλματος στην μέση τάση είτε γιατί το μικροδίκτυο είναι επιθυμητό να λειτουργεί εσκεμμένα στην προαναφερθείσα κατάσταση. 4) Η μετάβαση από τη διασυνδεδεμένη κατάσταση του μικροδικτύου στη νησιδοποίηση και αντίστροφα να γίνεται με τον ομαλότερο δυνατό τρόπο. Λόγω της έντονης μη γραμμικότητας των υπό μελέτη συστημάτων, στο σχεδιασμό των συστημάτων ελέγχου εφαρμόζεται ασαφής λογική. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας αφορούν τόσο τον θεωρητικό σχεδιασμό των παραπάνω συστημάτων με την βοήθεια προγράμματος εξομοίωσης (Matlab/Simulink) όσο και την πειραματική επιβεβαίωση των συμπερασμάτων στο εργαστήριο. Αρχικά, εξομοιώνεται μια συστοιχία κυττάρων καυσίμου συνδυασμένη με μια μπαταρία (υβριδικό σύστημα) και ενσωματώνεται σε ένα ασθενές δίκτυο διανομής. Ο έλεγχος δοκιμάζεται για τοπικές μεταβολές φορτίου και για μετάβαση από την διασυνδεδεμένη σε νησιδοποιημένη κατάσταση προκειμένου να διαπιστωθούν τα επιθυμητά χαρακτηριστικά του ελέγχου που αναφέρθηκαν. Επιπλέον, γίνεται μια διερεύνηση για το εύρος της αποτελεσματικότητας του ελέγχου για διαφορετικού τύπου γραμμών διανομής. Η συμπεριφορά του ελέγχου κρίνεται ικανοποιητική σε όλες τις περιπτώσεις. Στην συνέχεια, το ίδιο υβριδικό σύστημα (μεγαλύτερης όμως ισχύος) και μια ανεμογεννήτρια με γεννήτρια διπλής τροφοδότησης ενσωματώνονται σε ένα μικροδίκτυο που συνδέεται σε ασθενές δίκτυο διανομής στο πρόγραμμα εξομοίωσης. Ο έλεγχος του υβριδικού συστήματος δεν αλλάζει λόγω της ευελιξίας της ασαφούς λογικής. Ο έλεγχος των μικροπηγών δοκιμάζεται για τοπικές μεταβολές φορτίου και για μετάβαση από την διασυνδεδεμένη σε νησιδοποιημένη κατάσταση και αντιστρόφως για μετάβαση από νησιδοποιημένη σε διασυνδεδεμένη κατάσταση. Επιπλέον, γίνεται μια διερεύνηση της δυναμικής απόκρισης του μικροδικτύου κατά την ύπαρξη μπαταρίας και κατά την απομάκρυνσή της από το μικροδίκτυο. Η συμπεριφορά του ελέγχου κρίνεται ικανοποιητική σε όλες τις περιπτώσεις. Για την πειραματική επιβεβαίωση, αξιοποιείται ένα σύστημα συστοιχίας κυττάρων καυσίμου (Ballard& Nexa System) συνδυασμένο με μια μπαταρία στο χώρο του εργαστηρίου. Εφαρμόζεται η τεχνολογία ψηφιακού ελέγχου σήματος μέσω ενός ψηφιακού επεξεργαστή σήματος (DSP). Έτσι, δίνεται η δυνατότητα σε τμήματα του ελέγχου που έχουν ήδη σχεδιαστεί να μεταφέρονται μέσω ειδικού λογισμικού στον επεξεργαστή και να ενσωματώνονται στην κατανεμημένη παραγωγή με ελάχιστο κόστος. Το πραγματικό σύστημα που δημιουργείται δοκιμάζεται για τοπικές μεταβολές φορτίου. Η συμπεριφορά του ελέγχου κρίνεται ικανοποιητική σε όλες τις περιπτώσεις. Μέσω εκτενών αποτελεσμάτων εξομοίωσης αλλά και πειραματικών, αποδεικνύεται πως ο προτεινόμενος έλεγχος συγκεντρώνει τα επιθυμητά χαρακτηριστικά που αναφέρθηκαν. Αποδεικνύεται, μάλιστα, ιδιαίτερα ευέλικτος και πρακτικός όχι μόνο σε θεωρητικές εφαρμογές αλλά και σε πραγματικά δεδομένα. Το τελευταίο είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικό αφού δίνει την δυνατότητα στον μηχανικό με ελάχιστο κόστος και με εύκολο χειρισμό λόγω της ασαφούς λογικής και του ψηφιακού επεξεργαστή να ελέγχει οποιαδήποτε κατανεμημένη παραγωγή (easy engineering) με ελάχιστες διορθωτικές κινήσεις. / Σhe present Ph.d thesis regards to the design and application of the control of the distributed generation (or microsource) so that distributed generation integrates into microgrids at the low voltage side. The design of the control has to achieve the following: 1) Meet the «plug and play» operation mode that implies that a microsource can be added to the microgrid without reengineering the central control and protection of units that are already part of the system. 2) The distributed generation that is a fuel cell system and a wind turbine in this case, have to provide active and reactive power support to the low voltage microgrid in cases of local load disturbances. 3) The distributed generation have to supply the whole demanded power in case of islanding mode of operation either because of a fault at the mean voltage side or because of an intentional disconnection e.g. maintenance work. 4) The transitioning from the interconnected mode to the islanded mode of operation and vice-versa has to be smooth. Due to the intense non linearity of the system, the control design is based on fuzzy logic. The results of this research regard not only to the theoretical design of the above systems via the simulation program Matlab/Simulink but also to the experimental affirmation of the results in the laboratory. Firstly, a fuel cell system combined with a battery bank forming a hybrid system is simulated and integrated into a weak distribution grid. The response of the control system is simulated firstly under a severe step load change under grid connected mode and secondly when a transitioning to islanded operation mode is caused by an upstream supply outage. Also, a study is made in order to ascertain the range of the efficiency of the proposed control for different types of distribution lines. The performance of the control revealed good in all cases. Secondly, the same hybrid system (of bigger nominal power though) and a wind turbine with doubly induction generator are integrated into a microgrid which is connected to a weak distribution grid via the simulation program. The control of the hybrid system remains the same due to the flexibility of fuzzy reasoning. The response of the control system is simulated firstly under a severe step load change under grid connected mode and secondly when a transitioning to islanded operation mode happens and vice-versa when a transitioning from islanded to interconnected operation mode occurs. Also, the transient response of the system is investigated in the cases when the battery bank is part of the microgrid and when it is eliminated. The performance of the control revealed good in all cases. The experimental setup includes a fuel cell system (Ballard& Nexa System) combined with a battery bank. In order to transfer parts of the designed control and integrate them into the experimental setup, the technology of the digital signal control via the digital signal processor (DSP) is exploited. The transfer of the control to the DSP is done through a software program at the minimum costs. The response of the real system is evaluated under a step load. The performance of the control revealed good in all cases.Through a large number of simulation and experimental results, the proposed control proves to meet the desirable requirements that already are mentioned. The proposed controller, also, prove to be particular flexible and practical in real systems. The latter remark makes the designed control suitable in real systems where the engineer tunes the local controller of each distributed generation easier due to fuzzy logic (easy engineering). It has to be reminded, also, that through the digital control technology, the integration of the control by the engineer is at minimum costs.

Orientador: Dionízio Paschoareli Júnior / Resumo: No planejamento da integração de fontes de geração distribuída no sistema de distribuição em baixa tensão é fundamental que haja a investigação dos efeitos provocados nas condições operacionais da rede, tais como níveis de tensão e carregamento de transformadores. Com vista ao potencial aumento da geração fotovoltaica no cenário brasileiro e à iminente migração tecnológica das redes tradicionais para as chamadas redes inteligentes, a resposta da demanda se apresenta como uma das estratégias para possibilitar uma integração eficiente de recursos energéticos distribuídos. Na aplicação de um programa de resposta da demanda, especificamente para o cenário de uma distribuidora, permitiu-se concluir, através da utilização de dados reais, que no processo de planejamento de integração de novas fontes de geração de natureza fotovoltaica, a aplicação de uma estrutura tarifária com custos diferenciados horários baseados no custo marginal de capacidade do sistema, possibilita que sejam observadas melhores condições operacionais da rede. A aplicação da nova estrutura tarifária horária indica uma significativa alteração no perfil de carga esperado dos consumidores de baixa tensão o que refletiu em melhores valores de níveis de tensão e aumento da capacidade livre do transformador em integrar novas fontes distribuídas no sistema. / Abstract: In planning the integration of distributed generation sources in the low voltage distribution system, it is essential to investigate the effects caused by the network operating conditions, such as voltage levels and transformer loading. By the point of view of the potential increase in photovoltaic generation for the Brazilian scenario and the imminent technological migration of traditional networks to the so-called Smart Grids, demand response is one of the strategies to enable the efficient integration of distributed energy resources. By applying a demand response program, specifically for the scenario of a distribution company, it was possible to conclude, by using real data, that in the integration planning process of new photovoltaic based generation sources, the application of a tariff structure with hourly differentiated costs based on the system's marginal cost of capacity, allows better operational conditions of the network to be observed. The application of the new hourly tariff structure indicates a significant change in the expected load profile of the low voltage consumers, which reflected in better values of voltage levels and rising of the free capacity of the transformer to integrate new distributed sources into the system. / Doutor