Assessing the impact of domestic low-carbon technologies on the electricity distribution network requires a detailed insight into the operation of networks and the power demands of consumers. When used on a wide-scale, low-carbon technologies, including domestic scale micro-generation, heat pumps, electric vehicles and flexible demand, will change the nature of domestic electricity use. In providing a basis for the quantification of the impact upon distribution networks, this thesis details the construction and use of a high-resolution integrated model that simulates both existing domestic electricity use and low voltage distribution networks. Electricity demand is modelled at the level of individual household appliances and is based upon surveyed occupant time-use data. This approach results in a simulation that exhibits realistic time-variant demand characteristics, in both individual dwellings, as well as, groups of dwellings together. Validation is performed against real domestic electricity use data, measured for this purpose, from dwellings in Loughborough in the East Midlands, UK. The low voltage distribution network is modelled using real network data, and the output of its simulation is validated against measured network voltages and power demands. The integrated model provides a highly detailed insight into the operation of networks at a one-minute resolution. This integrated model is the main output of this research, alongside published articles and a freely downloadable software implementation of the demand model.

O objetivo deste estudo foi a elaboração e testes simulados, com dados elétricos reais, de metodologia para a operação de geração distribuída (GD) fotovoltaica, em baixa tensão e com exportação de excedentes, em sistemas de distribuição reticulado. A metodologia superou as limitações impostas pelos equipamentos de proteção chamados Protetores de Rede, inerentes à topologia de distribuição do tipo reticulado. Tais equipamentos inviabilizam a geração distribuída, que exporta excedentes para a rede externa por desconectarem os transformadores de média para baixa tensão, causando o ilhamento da GD, sempre que existir um fluxo de potência reverso, ou seja, no sentido do cliente para a concessionária. O objetivo foi alcançado por meio da criação de um simulador de subestação de reticulado exclusivo (Spot) de três transformadores nos qual os comportamentos dos protetores de rede eram testados com dados de fluxo de potência reais aquisitados em subestações de reticulado em Brasília (concessionária CEB) e em subestação do Instituto de Energia e Ambiente (IEE), da Universidade de São Paulo, onde existe uma instalação geradora fotovoltaica de 12kWp. Novos comportamentos dos protetores de rede foram simulados para compatibilizar tal fluxo reverso de potência e parâmetros críticos foram levantados. Nas simulações, encontraram-se caminhos viáveis de promover estas conexões com segurança e simplicidade. Estes novos comportamentos podem ser implementados no firmware dos relés de protetores de redes microprocessados. / The aim of this study was to develop and test a methodology for operation of photovoltaic distributed generation (DG) on secondary side of the Spot and Grid Network types of electricity distribution systems, allowing for the export of excess energy. This methodology did overcome the limitations imposed by the protective equipment known as Network Protector (NP), a standard equipment on secondary network distribution topology. Such equipments make exporting energy from distributed generation systems to the grid unfeasible because of the operational aspects of Network Protectors. This devices will disconnect the transformers whenever there is a reverse power flow, i.e. towards the utility, causing the islanding of the DG. The objective was achieved through the conception of a simulator for a Spot Network substation with three transformers where the behaviors of network protectors could be tested. Those simulations were performed with actual power flow data from real network substations in Brasilia city (CEB utility area) and the substation at the Institute for Energy and Environment (IEE) at the University of Sao Paulo, where a photovoltaic generating facility of 12kWp exists. New behaviors were simulated in order to make the NPs to manage the expected reverse power flow successfully. The most important parameters for the model were explained. Viable ways to connect exporting photovoltaic DG to secondary networks safely and simply have been found by means of these simulations. These new behaviors could be embedded in the firmware of the NP´s microprocessor based relays.

Aging infrastructure and personnel, combined with stricter financial constraints has put maintenance, or more popular Asset Management, at the top of the agenda for most power utilities. At the same time the industry reports that this area is not properly supported by information systems. Today’s power utilities have very comprehensive and complex portfolios of information systems that serve many different purposes. A common problem in such heterogeneous system architectures is data management, e.g. data in the systems do not represent the true status of the equipment in the power grid or several sources of data are contradictory. The research presented in this thesis concerns how this industrial problem can be better understood and approached by novel use of the ontology standardized in the Common Information Model defined in IEC standards 61970 & 61968. The theoretical framework for the research is that of data management using ontology based frameworks. This notion is not new, but is receiving renewed attention due to emerging technologies, e.g. Service Oriented Architectures, that support implementation of such ontological frameworks. The work presented is empirical in nature and takes its origin in the ontology available in the Common Information Model. The scope of the research is the applicability of the CIM ontology, not as it was intended i.e. in systems integration, but for analysis of business processes, legacy systems and data. The work has involved significant interaction with power distribution utilities in Sweden, in order to validate the framework developed around the CIM ontology. Results from the research have been published continuously, this thesis consists of an introduction and summary and papers describing the main contribution of the work. The main contribution of the work presented in this thesis is the validation of the proposition to use the CIM ontology as a basis for analysis existing legacy systems. By using the data models defined in the standards and combining them with established modeling techniques we propose a framework for information system management. The framework is appropriate for analyzing data quality problems related to power systems maintenance at power distribution utilities. As part of validating the results, the proposed framework has been applied in a case study involving medium voltage overhead line inspection. In addition to the main contribution, a classification of the state of the practice system support for power system maintenance at utilities has been created. Second, the work includes an analysis and classification of how high performance Wide Area communication technologies can be used to improve power system maintenance including improving data quality. / QC 20100614

O objetivo deste estudo foi a elaboração e testes simulados, com dados elétricos reais, de metodologia para a operação de geração distribuída (GD) fotovoltaica, em baixa tensão e com exportação de excedentes, em sistemas de distribuição reticulado. A metodologia superou as limitações impostas pelos equipamentos de proteção chamados Protetores de Rede, inerentes à topologia de distribuição do tipo reticulado. Tais equipamentos inviabilizam a geração distribuída, que exporta excedentes para a rede externa por desconectarem os transformadores de média para baixa tensão, causando o ilhamento da GD, sempre que existir um fluxo de potência reverso, ou seja, no sentido do cliente para a concessionária. O objetivo foi alcançado por meio da criação de um simulador de subestação de reticulado exclusivo (Spot) de três transformadores nos qual os comportamentos dos protetores de rede eram testados com dados de fluxo de potência reais aquisitados em subestações de reticulado em Brasília (concessionária CEB) e em subestação do Instituto de Energia e Ambiente (IEE), da Universidade de São Paulo, onde existe uma instalação geradora fotovoltaica de 12kWp. Novos comportamentos dos protetores de rede foram simulados para compatibilizar tal fluxo reverso de potência e parâmetros críticos foram levantados. Nas simulações, encontraram-se caminhos viáveis de promover estas conexões com segurança e simplicidade. Estes novos comportamentos podem ser implementados no firmware dos relés de protetores de redes microprocessados. / The aim of this study was to develop and test a methodology for operation of photovoltaic distributed generation (DG) on secondary side of the Spot and Grid Network types of electricity distribution systems, allowing for the export of excess energy. This methodology did overcome the limitations imposed by the protective equipment known as Network Protector (NP), a standard equipment on secondary network distribution topology. Such equipments make exporting energy from distributed generation systems to the grid unfeasible because of the operational aspects of Network Protectors. This devices will disconnect the transformers whenever there is a reverse power flow, i.e. towards the utility, causing the islanding of the DG. The objective was achieved through the conception of a simulator for a Spot Network substation with three transformers where the behaviors of network protectors could be tested. Those simulations were performed with actual power flow data from real network substations in Brasilia city (CEB utility area) and the substation at the Institute for Energy and Environment (IEE) at the University of Sao Paulo, where a photovoltaic generating facility of 12kWp exists. New behaviors were simulated in order to make the NPs to manage the expected reverse power flow successfully. The most important parameters for the model were explained. Viable ways to connect exporting photovoltaic DG to secondary networks safely and simply have been found by means of these simulations. These new behaviors could be embedded in the firmware of the NP´s microprocessor based relays.

Cette thèse étudie l'interaction technico-économique entre véhicules électriques et réseaux d'électricité. Le développement récent de la mobilité électrique invite en effet à analyser les impacts potentiels de la recharge de ces véhicules sur les réseaux électriques, mais aussi le soutien que ceux-ci pourraient apporter dans les réseaux du futur. Ce travail s'inscrit résolument dans le cadre des réseaux d'électricité intelligents ; la plupart des résultats de cette thèse s'appliquent tout aussi bien à un lave-linge, un chauffe-eau, une télévision tant que l'on leur prête la capacité d'intelligence ! Dès lors que les décisions des consommateurs électriques flexibles interagissent, ce cadre d'étude offre un terrain de jeu propice aux outils de théorie des jeux. Ceux-ci ont un apport direct lorsque le problème considéré a un fondement stratégique, mais leur application permet aussi de proposer des solutions sur des aspects où la théorie des jeux n'est pas forcément attendue : algorithmique, dans l'échange d'information entre acteurs, etc. La description de cet apport est l'objet principal de ce travail de thèse et se décompose en trois parties. En fil rouge, le cas des profils de charge rectangulaires – soutenus par de nombreux arguments pratiques mais souvent délaissés par les chercheurs – est analysé. En premier lieu, des questions algorithmiques se posent pour coordonner la charge de véhicules électriques dans un même périmètre du système électrique. Proposant et étudiant un algorithme de coordination, il est montré comment les propriétés fondamentales de celui-ci - sa convergence, l'efficacité de ses points de convergence – peuvent être déduite d'un jeu auxiliaire sous-jacent. L'analyse de ce jeu est faite en montrant qu'il appartient à la classe des jeux de potentiel, sous des hypothèses physiques et économiques très générales. Sur le plan de l'échange d'information, un modèle est proposé pour réfléchir à la bonne communication entre un opérateur du réseau et un véhicule. Ces deux agents ont intérêt à communiquer pour planifier la charge intelligente du véhicule électrique, mais ont des objectifs distincts. Ce cadre est très proche du Cheap-talk en théorie des jeux, mais aussi de la problématique de la quantification en traitement du signal. Ce travail tisse au passage des liens entre ces sujets. Il propose aussi une méthode pour que l'agent du réseau et le véhicule s'accordent hors-ligne sur un bon mécanisme d'échange d'information. Enfin, la théorie des jeux est appliquée dans un cadre plus habituel, pour analyser le jeu des acteurs. Ceci est fait quand des ensembles de véhicules de taille importante, vus comme des flottes, cohabitent avec des véhicules individuels. Ceci offre un terrain de jeu applicatif aux outils très récents des jeux composites. Dans ces trois directions de recherche, des simulations sont effectuées dans le cadre d'un réseau de distribution d'électricité, maille du système électrique qui pourrait vivre des impacts significatifs si la charge est non-coordonnée. En particulier, elles montrent la robustesse des méthodes proposées face aux incertitudes sur les données lorsque des profils de charge rectangulaires sont considérés. / This thesis studies the technical and economical interaction between electric vehicles and electrical networks. The recent development of electric mobility leads to the analysis of potential impacts of electric vehicle charging on the electrical networks, but also to the possible support that these particular electric consumers could provide in the future smart grids. In this direction, most of the results given in this thesis also apply to a washing machine, a water-heater, a TV, as soon as these equipments are capable of being smart! When the decisions of flexible electric consumers interact, the considered framework naturally offers a unique exercise area for the tools of game-theory. The interpretation is straightforward when the considered problem is strategic by definition, but these tools allow also shedding light on other aspects: algorithmic coordination, information exchange, etc. The description of the benefits of using game-theory in this context is the aim of this work. This is done according to three aspects. In these three directions, a particular attention is drawn to the case of rectangular charging profiles, which are very practical, but often ignored by the literature. First, algorithmic issues arise when coordinating the charging of electric vehicles in a same area of the electrical network. A charging algorithm is proposed and analyzed. This is done by studying an underlying auxiliary game. This game is proved to belong to the class of potential games under very general physical and economic assumptions. In turn, it inherits from the strong properties of this class of games, namely convergence and an efficiency result in the case of a large number of electric vehicles. Considering information exchange, a model is proposed to design a good communication scheme between an operator of the electrical system and an electric vehicle. Both agents have an interest in exchanging information to schedule optimally the charging profile of the electric vehicle but they do not share the same objective. This framework is closely related to Cheap-talk in game theory and to quantization in signal processing. Amongst others, this work explains interesting connections between both topics. Furthermore, a method, which is used offline, is given to obtain a good communication mechanism between both agents. Finally, game theory is used in its traditional form, studying the strategic interaction when groups of a large number of electric vehicles – seen as fleets – coexist with individual vehicles. This allows the application of the very recent concept of composite games. In the three parts of the work, simulations are conducted in a French realistic distribution network, which could be the first part of the electrical system severely impacted by a non-coordinated charging. This highlights the robustness of rectangular charging profiles against forecasting errors on the parameters of the models.