Research seminar "Power Management in Renewable Energy Microgrids with Hybrid Storage: Optimal Schedule and Operation"

Abstract:

Efficient energy generation and consumption is a key factor to achieve ambitious goals related to air pollution and climate change. Modern electricity networks can include different kind of sources, such as Renewable Energy Sources (RES). The unpredictability of renewable energy makes it necessary the integration of Energy Storage Systems (EES) in order to fulfill the demand. Then, hybrid systems are obtained in the concept called microgrid (MG). In order to draw the best performance from these hybrid systems, proper design and optimal operation are essential. The talk focuses on power management in MGs with RES (mainly wind and solar) and hybrid storage (hydrogen and electricity). Power management is carried out using Model Predictive Control (MPC), where several control objectives are considered. The use of MPC technique allows maximizing the economical benefit of the MG and minimizing the degradation causes of each storage system by fulfilling the different system constraints. Experimental results of a laboratory-scale MG are presented and assessed by the definition and use of Key Performance Indicators (KPI).

Biography:

Carlos Bordons received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Seville, Seville, Spain, in 1994. He joined the Department of Systems and Control, University of Seville, Seville, Spain, as an Assistant Professor in 1989, where he is currently a Full Professor. He has worked on different projects in collaboration with industry in fields such as control of steam generators in sugar factories, simulation and optimization of oil pipeline networks, automation of copper furnaces, or modelling and control of fuel cells systems. His current research interests include advanced process control, especially model predictive control and its application to fuel-cell-based systems. He is the coauthor of the books Model Predictive Control in the Process Industry and Model Predictive Control (Springer–Verlag, 1995 and 2004, 1st and 2nd eds. ). He holds two related patents. Prof. Bordons was elected as a the European Union Control Association Council Member in 2007.