Majority of electricity networks have growing number of ageing elements. Critical network components, such as ageing underground cables, are very expensive to install and disruptive to replace. On the other hand, global climate changes have made connection of new low carbon technologies (LCT) into the grids increasingly necessary. These factors are contributing to the increasing complexity of the planning and management of power systems. Numerous techniques published on this subject tend to ignore the impact of LCT integration and the anchoring ꞌSmartꞌ solutions on ageing network assets, such as underground cables and transformers. This thesis presents the development procedures of an ageing underground cable reliability model (IEC-Arrhenius-Weibull model) and cable ranking models for replacement based on system wide effects and thermal loss-of-life metrics. In addition, a new concept of LCT integration and distribution network management was proposed using two optimization models. The first optimizes connection of new wind sources by minimizing the connection cost and the cost of cable thermal loss-of-lives in the planning period. In the second stage, the network is optimally reconfigured in such a way to minimize thermal-loss-of-life of ageing cable. Both optimization models are formulated as mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) problems applicable to radially operated medium voltage networks. To quantify the reliability benefits of the proposed approach, Sequential Monte Carlo Simulation (SMCS) procedure was formulated. Some of the main features of the SMCS procedure are the IEC-Arrhenius-Weibull model for ageing cable, optimal network reconfiguration, wind generation modelling using ARMA models and real time thermal ratings. The final outputs are reliability metrics, cable ranking lists for replacement, savings due to 'non-spend' cable thermal lives, etc. These studies have proven to be important in formulating an effective strategy for extending the lives of network cables, managing overall network reliability and planning cables replacement in power distribution networks.

Absolicon Solar Collector AB in Härnösand, Sweden, develops concentrating solar collectors with a parabolic trough. In the solar collector trough, there is thermal loss due to convection. A convection suppressor was made and used as a method to reduce thermal loss due to convection in the trough. The objective of the project was to evaluate the convection suppressor for solar collectors with a parabolic trough and its impact on the performance (thermal loss characteristics) in two different orientations of the trough, horizontal and inclined. The performance of the solar collector was first measured without the convection suppressor; these results were compared to two previous quasi-dynamical tests of the solar collector performance made by two different institutes, Research Institute of Sweden and SPF Institut für Solartechnik (Switzerland). The comparison was made to validate the test results from the tests without the convection suppressor, which matched. Secondly, when the convection suppressor was made and tested in the two different orientations, the results of the performance with and without the convection suppressor was evaluated as well as the convection suppressor itself. The results showed a significant improvement of the solar collector performance in the aspect of reduced thermal loss when the convection suppressor was used, hence higher efficiency. / Absolicon Solar Collector AB I Härnösand, Sverige, utvecklar koncentrerande solfångare med ett paraboliskt tråg. I solfångarens tråg uppstår termiska förluster som en följd av konvektion. En konvektionsreducerare tillverkades och användes som metod för att minska de termiska förlusterna i tråget. Målet med projektet var att testa och utvärdera konvektionsreduceraren för koncentrerande solfångare med ett paraboliskt tråg samt dess inverkan på verkningsgraden i två olika positioner för tråget, horisontell och lutande. För att kunna mäta konvektionsreducerarens inverkan på solfångaren mättes först solfångarens prestanda utan konvektionsreduceraren i de två olika positionerna, detta resultat användes som referens efter validering. Valideringen gjordes genom att resultatet jämfördes sedan med två andra prestandamätningar (quasi-dynamical test) av solfångaren gjorda av två olika institut, Research Institute of Sweden och SPF Institut für Solartechnik (Schweiz). Därefter, när konvektionsreduceraren var tillverkat och testad i de olika positionerna på samma sätt som mätningarna utan konvektionsreducerare, jämfördes resultaten med och utan konvektionsreducerareet samt att en utvärdering gjordes av dess inverkan. Resultatet visade en signifikant förbättring av solfångarens prestanda i form av minskade termiska förluster när konvektionsreduceraren användes och därav ökad verkningsgrad.

Entering of thesis focuses on large-scale solar systems. Large solar-scale system will be used for heating water in public swimming pool. The pool is located in Brno - country. The pool is operated year-round. Great emphasis of the thesis is on the surface heat loss. Evaporation of water from the water surface is also applied in the experimental part of the thesis. In the calculations is used software for modeling the thermal microclimate of buildings and air conditioning design Teruna.

Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) are projected to become a viable means of transportation due to advances in technology and advocates for green and eco-friendly energy solutions. These vehicles are powered partially, or in some cases, solely by the energy stored in their battery packs. The large sizes of these battery packs require large amount of energy to charge, and as the demand for PEV increases, the increase in energy demand needed to recharge these PEV batteries could pose problems to the present electric distribution system. This study examines the potential impacts of PEV on a residential electric distribution system at various penetration levels. An existing residential distribution network is modeled up to each household service point and various sensitivity scenarios and stochastic patterns of PEV loads are simulated. Impact studies that include voltage drop, service transformers overload, energy loss, and transformer thermal loss-of-life expectancy are analyzed. Results from the study are reported and recommendations to mitigate the impacts are presented.

Floating solar technology is relatively new, and it comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. This master thesis focuses on understanding how Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) projects perform compared to Ground-Based Photovoltaic (GPV) projects, in specific weather conditions. The following work is based on a case study: a floating power plant run by Akuo Energy, where sensors have been installed in order to measure the evolution of relevant physical and weather parameters on-site. Akuo Energy is a French independent renewable energy producer and developer founded in 2007. The company specializes in the development, financing, construction, and operation of renewable energy projects, including wind, solar and storage power plants. It is committed to producing clean, affordable, and reliable energy while promoting sustainable development and supporting local communities. The thesis is conducted within the Solar Technology Team, which centralizes the solar expertise of the company and implements innovative technologies to improve their Photovoltaic (PV) projects’ performances. As the number of FPV projects increases, the team raised the need for better evaluation of their performance compared to a standard GPV project, in terms of output power and energy yield. As it appears in the literature, FPV installations can differ from GPV, due to different operating conditions: power plant designs, module cooling, weather conditions, or degradation rates. These parameters need to be taken into account in the expected energy yield analysis, especially module cooling, since operating temperature has a proved impact on module efficiency. Today, technological and economic considerations on FPV specific design are therefore essential. However, the main solar projects development software PVsyst used at Akuo Energy does not include a default floating solar library. Experimental measurements are a good starting point for understanding how the numerical model needs to evolve to adapt to the FPV system. By examining a practical case and processing historical data, insights on FPV systems and how weather affects their efficiency can be provided. The objective of this thesis is then to better model the FPV array thermal losses due to the cooling effect and better estimate the yield for future Akuo Energy FPV projects during the development phase. / Flytande solteknik är relativt ny och kommer med sina egna utmaningar och möjligheter. Denna masteruppsats fokuserar på att förstå hur FPV-projekt presterar jämfört med GPV-projekt, under specifika väderförhållanden. Följande arbete är baserat på en fallstudie: ett flytande kraftverk som drivs av Akuo Energy, där sensorer har installerats för att mäta utvecklingen av relevanta fysiska parametrar och väderparametrar på plats. Akuo Energy är en fransk oberoende producent och utvecklare av förnybar energi som grundades 2007. Företaget är specialiserat på utveckling, finansiering, konstruktion och drift av projekt för förnybar energi, inklusive vind-, sol- och lagringskraftverk. Det är engagerat i att producera ren, prisvärd och pålitlig energi samtidigt som man främjar hållbar utveckling och stödjer lokala samhällen. Examensarbetet genomförs inom Solar Technology Team, som centraliserar företagets solexpertis och implementerar innovativa teknologier för att förbättraderas PV-projekts prestanda. När antalet FPV-projekt ökar, tog teamet upp behovet av bättre utvärdering av deras prestanda jämfört med ett standard GPV-projekt, vad gäller uteffekt och energiutbyte. Som det framgår av litteraturen kan FPV-installationer skilja sig från GPV på grund av olika driftsförhållanden: kraftverkskonstruktioner, modulkylning, väderförhållanden, eller nedbrytningshastigheter. Dessa parametrar måste beaktas ta hänsyn till den förväntade energiutbytesanalysen, särskilt modulkylning, eftersom driftstemperaturen har en bevisad inverkan på modulens effektivitet. Idag är därför tekniska och ekonomiska överväganden om FPV specifik design viktiga. Emellertid innehåller den huvudsakliga utvecklingsmjukvaran PVsyst för solenergiprojekt som används på Akuo Energy inte ett flytande solcellsbibliotek som standard. Experimentella mätningar är en bra utgångspunkt för att förstå hur den numeriska modellen behöver utvecklas för att anpassa sig till FPV-systemet. Genom att undersöka ett praktiskt fall och bearbeta historiska data kan insikter om FPV-system och hur vädret påverkar deras effektivitet ges. Syftet med denna avhandling är sedan att bättre modellera FPV-matrisens termiska förluster på grund av kyleffekten och bättre uppskatta avkastningen för framtida Akuo Energy FPV-projekt under utvecklingsfasen.

Master’s thesis is focused on analysis of thermal consumption in the buiding. This work describes current state of family house and possible suggestions for heating and water heating. Part of solution is created program, which supposed to serve as universal calculation program for design and economic evaluation of suggested solar systém and allows a comparison between commonly used sources for heating and water heating.

The diploma thesis deals with the problematics of both health and technical installations in a residential building in the city of Brno. The theoretical part deals with the analysis of the topic with particular focus on the problematics of thermal losses within the pipeline. The thesis also focuses on various possibilities of protection of the pipeline and reduction of the thermal losses. The project part of the thesis deals with both health and technical installations in the particular building within the chosen option. The concerned building is constructed in the form of cascades consisting of five floors above the ground level and one underground floor which serves as a parking lot for the cars of the building residents.

Master’s thesis on Energy performance of domestic hot water preparation is concerned with calculating and comparing the energy performance of domestic hot water preparation in two-generation family house with an administrative part. Energy performance of domestic hot water preparation is calculated by two calculation methods and by experimental measurements, which are compared at the end of the thesis. The calculation is performed according to standard ČSN 06 0320 and set of standards ČSN EN 15316-3. Thesis is processed in accordance with valid legislative regulations.