Mehmet Uzunoglu

Inverter interfaced distributed generators (DGs) in microgrids have different characteristics and models that are not available in the existing conventional power flow analysis tools. This paper presents a static modeling approach for inverter interfaced DGs that can be applied for time spread load flow analysis and fault analysis of microgrids, including droop-based voltage controlled DGs. The static models have been derived from the common control schemes applied to inverter interfaced DGs, including the constraints emerging from droop control and reflect steady-state behaviors of inverters accurately. In addition to simplification of analysis procedure, the static models can provide a base for the analysis of microgrids with conventional numeric analysis tools. The presented static modeling approach has been validated comparatively with the dynamic modeling results of a test microgrid.

The renewable energy-based distributed generation (DG) implementation in power systems has been an active research area during the last few decades due to several environmental, economic and political factors. Although the integration of DG offers many advantages, several concerns, including protection schemes in systems with the possibility of bi-directional power flow, are raised. Thus, new protection schemes are strongly required in power systems with a significant presence of DG. In this study, an adaptive protection strategy for a distribution system with DG integration is proposed. The proposed strategy considers both grid-connected and islanded operating modes, while the adaptive operation of the protection is dynamically realized considering the availability of DG power production (related to faults or meteorological conditions) in each time step. Besides, the modular structure and fast response of the proposed strategy is validated via simulations conducted on the IEEE 13-node test system.

Grid-enabled vehicles (GEVs) such as plug-in electric vehicles present environmental and energy sustainability advantages compared to conventional vehicles. GEV runs solely on power generated by its own battery group, which supplies power to its electric motor. This battery group can be charged from external electric sources. Nowadays, the interaction of GEV with the power grid is unidirectional by the charging process. However, GEV can be operated bi-directionally by modifying its power unit. In such operating conditions, GEV can operate as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and satisfy a portion or the total energy demand of the consumption center independent from utility grid, which is known as vehicle-to-home (V2H). In this paper, a power unit is developed for GEVs in the laboratory to conduct simulation and experimental studies to test the performance of GEVs as a UPS unit in V2H mode at the time of need. The activation and deactivation of the power unit and islanding protection unit are examined when energy is interrupted.

Demand response applications within smart grid provide excellent opportunities for peak demand reduction through demand side load management. In the context of a smart grid, renewable energy resources are getting immensely popular as many homeowners are now opting for renewable energy systems at their residence. This paper presents a home energy management algorithm integrated with a renewable energy system within a smart house environment. A detailed simulation study has been conducted to investigate benefits of the approach. Then, it has been validated with real case studies conducted in the smart house located at Yildiz Technical University (YTU) in Istanbul, Turkey.