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Grid Connected Systems for Access to Electricity: From Microgrid to Grid Extension

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Renewable Energy for Unleashing Sustainable Development

Abstract

All over the world, microgrids are becoming an important paradigm to supply electricity to many different categories of customers: in developed countries, where an electricity distribution grid is already in place, microgrids are seen as a way of migrating towards the so-called Smart Grids, able in particular to provide increased reliability to final users and to exploit as much as possible renewable primary sources for the electricity generation. In this framework, it is important that, in case of a significant perturbation of the main grid, the local microgrid can disconnect and continue the operation without any particular problem, so as to increase the reliability of the supply for its customers (top–bottom approach). On the contrary, in developing countries, microgrids are often the only way to provide electricity to small remote villages, as a connection to an external main grid is not available yet. In this case, the microgrid has to be operated in a standing-alone (off-grid) mode, but it should be designed in such way that, when eventually a main grid is built, the connection of the microgrid to the main grid will be possible (bottom–top approach). In this framework, it is possible to look step-by-step at the growth of the bulk (national) power system as to the aggregation of many small microgrids. The present chapter deals with the main technical issues related to the planning and the operation of microgrids, both in the presence and in the absence of an external main grid: balancing the load, control and protection systems, voltage and frequency control, normal and emergency operations and so on. The goal is to provide a simple and straightforward synthesis of what to take into account when decisions have to be made at a higher than technical level.

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Abbreviations

AC:

Alternating Current

CB:

Circuit Breakers

CERTS:

Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions

CSC:

Current Source Converter

DC:

Direct Current

DSM:

Demand Side Management

DSP:

Digital Signal Processor

DER:

Distributed Energy Resource

DG:

Distributed Generator

DSO:

Distribution System Operator

DFIG:

Doubly Fed Induction Generator

EMI:

Electromagnetic Interference

EMS:

Energy Management System

IPP:

Independent Power Producers

IGBT:

Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor

IGCT:

Integrated Gate-Commutated Thyristor

ICE:

Internal Combustion Engine

LC:

Local Controller

LV:

Low Voltage

MC:

Matrix Converter

MO:

Market Operator

MV:

Medium Voltage

MCC:

Microgrid Central Controller

PAM:

Pulse-Amplitude Modulation

PMSG:

Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator

PCC:

Point of Common Coupling

PoC:

Point of Coupling

PWM:

Pulse Width Modulation

SCR:

Silicon Controlled Rectifier

SCIG:

Squirrel Cage Induction Generator

SMES:

Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage

VSC:

Voltage Source Converter

WRIG:

Wound Rotor Induction Generator

WRSG:

Wound Rotor Synchronous Generator

ZCS:

Zero Current-Switching

ZVS:

Zero Voltage-Switching

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy

    Godfrey Gladson Moshi, Alberto Berizzi & Christian Bovo

  2. Department of Electrical Engineering, Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    Godfrey Gladson Moshi

Authors
  1. Godfrey Gladson Moshi
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  2. Alberto Berizzi
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  3. Christian Bovo
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Correspondence to Godfrey Gladson Moshi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy

    Emanuela Colombo

  2. UN Industrial Development Organization, Vienna, Austria

    Stefano Bologna

  3. UN Industrial Development Organization, Vienna, Austria

    Diego Masera

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Moshi, G.G., Berizzi, A., Bovo, C. (2013). Grid Connected Systems for Access to Electricity: From Microgrid to Grid Extension. In: Colombo, E., Bologna, S., Masera, D. (eds) Renewable Energy for Unleashing Sustainable Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00284-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00284-2_5

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