SEMINAR REPORT

Load Management System with Intermittent Power on the Grid

SHIVRAJ SINGH
072113103 M.TECH POWER SYSTEM Shiv.nitb@gmail.com

Project objectives
Identify contractual requirements and commercial benefits of different load management systems
under the Renewables Obligation and electricity trading arrangements

Model economic benefits of load management to customers with intermittent generation on site Develop low cost load management system
incorporating communication technologies and switching devices to maximise renewable energy use on a demonstration site

Identify associated social and psychological aspects

Project tasks
Identified and evaluated four potential control strategies for a load management system on the distribution network
A solution to voltage rise problems caused by distributed generation Ensuring zero export from a site with renewable generation Avoiding load demand discrepancies Creating an additional market for renewable energy

Selected one strategy suitable for application at the test site Demonstrated technical aspects of load management equipment Investigated the social aspects of the load management strategy

Conclusions from preliminary evaluation

Mitigating voltage rise from embedded generation
technically achievable benefits of avoiding voltage-related constraints ~ 4 x implementation cost in case study

Maximising on-site usage of renewables on a site with embedded generation and loads
technically possible to ensure close to zero power export to the grid quick payback of implementation cost possible

Avoiding demand discrepancies between actual and contractual volumes of load

possible only to reduce, rather than avoid, demand discrepancies savings ~ 5 x installation cost over 20 years in case study

Creation of additional demand for renewable energy

complex system with high capital cost of duplicated heating equipment possible to reduce energy bills and increase generation / supply companies revenues

Minimising energy export from embedded generation

Technique selected for demonstration at Findhorn Foundation Community 75kW wind turbine with plans for ~600kW more wind capacity (at time of project inception) Extensive low voltage distribution network, administered by FFC Power export from site rare, but will increase significantly when new wind turbines added Installation aimed to demonstrate load management technology

System tasks
MEASURE POWER EXPORT DECIDE WHETHER TO INCREASE SITE LOAD

SEND SIGNAL TO LOAD CONTROLLERS

SWITCH LOAD ON OR OFF

SWITCH LOAD ON OR OFF

SWITCH LOAD ON OR OFF

System components
IMMERSION LOAD CONTROLLERS AND HEATER FINDHORN DISTRIBUTION CONTROLLABLE LOADS NETWORK (SMALL PERCENTAGE OF LC TOTAL SITE LOAD) LC
CURRENT AND VOLTAGE MEASUREMENT

GRID SUPPLY POWER IMPORT OR EXPORT

SPACE HEATER

4
LC LC
SEND ON OR OFF SIGNAL

POWER MEASUREMENT UNIT

SPACE HEATER

POWER IMPORT OR EXPORT, kW

COMMUNICATIONS UNIT

TRAFFIC LIGHT

CONTROL UNIT

ADD LOAD OR REMOVE LOAD

Engineering challenges
Measurement of imported / exported power Signal communications needs to be robust
powerline carrier demonstrated here via overhead line and underground cable low power radio communications cables internet

Control algorithm for deciding when to switch devices

need to avoid increasing import from grid! need to avoid switching large blocks of load simultaneously

Social challenges
Selecting suitable loads for automatic management Identifying and communicating benefits to consumers of surrendering control over their loads
traffic light idea popular with the community voluntary load switching test loads were mostly in central community buildings

Ensuring no loss of quality or reliability of supply Integrating system with tariff structure to incentivise take-up

Simulation results
Key to developing control algorithms and identifying benefits Example results:
assume 72kWh per day provided by 40kW of deferrable load without control timeswitch controls 40kW just before midnight with control 40kW switched on and off throughout the day depending on wind availability saving in this instance = 19kWh depends on wind profile and switching speed

Test results
Demonstrated:
low-cost power measurement system simple PIC-based control algorithm powerline carrier communications over three phase low voltage network around test site (including cable and overhead lines)

Conclusions
Identified several beneficial applications of load management in context of renewable energy Extended application of Econnects load controllers from off-grid systems to grid-connected operation Developed a load management system for implementation Demonstrated successful technical operation of component parts Identified issues which will make a system practicable and successful

REFRENCES
Energy the changing climates, summary of royal commission on environmental pollutions report,http://www.rcep.org http://www.dti.gov.uk Intelligent load control stratgiesb utilising communication capabilities to improve the power , the power quality of inverter based renewable island power system by Williamson kemsley R, Taylor P , Rollinson D, Tselpis S, Neris A, international conference-RES in26-28 may 2003 crete