Date of Award

8-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering

First Advisor

David Wenzhong Gao

Second Advisor

Amin Khodaei

Third Advisor

Mohammad Matin

Fourth Advisor

Matt Gordon

Keywords

Microgrids, Renewable energy, Energy crisis, Cost

Abstract

Microgrids incorporating distributed generation and renewable energy sources offer potential solutions to the energy crisis while modernizing traditional grids. Despite cost-effectiveness in some technologies, financial support remains crucial for expensive ones like PV, fuel cells, and storage technologies. Microgrids bring economic benefits, efficiency, reduced emissions, and improved power quality. Their success hinges on cost reductions in renewables, storage, reliability, and energy management systems, enabling operation both with and without the utility grid.

Economic Dispatch optimizes system costs, considering all constraints. Various methods tackle this problem, including quadratic convex functions, Lagrangian relaxation, and quadratic programming. For microgrids with distributed generators, seamless communication and secure operation are vital. This dissertation addresses the inclusion of noise as a constraint in grid-connected and islanded microgrids, aiming to enhance economic dispatch solutions and overall performance. A virtual synchronous generator control strategy improves power quality, employing a noiseless consensus-based algorithm. Reactive power management utilizes a STATCOM controller to enhance voltage, output power, and phase angle stability. Three algorithms—Lagrange, Firefly, and Artificial Bee Colony—are studied for active and reactive power compensation with and without the VSG-STATCOM strategy at various noise levels.

The dissertation also presents findings from a NREL-funded project on Cost analysis of microgrids in the U.S. The study identifies average costs for typical microgrid projects over the next five years, aiding future R&D and project planning for investors, developers, and researchers. Data analysis focuses on commercial, community, and campus microgrid sectors to derive meaningful insights. Ultimately, microgrids with distributed generation and renewable sources hold promise for a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

Copyright Date

8-2023

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Shruti Singh

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

119 pgs

File Size

2.2 MB

Discipline

Electrical engineering

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