Smart Energy Systems: The Need to Incorporate Homeostatically Controlled Microgrids to the Electric Power Distribution Industry : An Electric Utilities’ Perspective

Abstract

For no one is a secret that nowadays electric power distribution systems (EPDS) are being faced with a number of challenges and concerns, which emanate not so much from a shortage of energy supply but from environmental, infrastructural and operational issues. They are required to preserve stability and continuity of operations at any time no matter what, regardless of what may occur in the surroundings. This is the true measure of what sustainable energy systems (SES) are all about and homeostaticity of energy systems seeks just that: to bring about a rapid, effective and efficient state of equilibrium between energy supply and energy expenditure in electric power systems (EPS). The paper presents the theoretical groundwork and a brief description of the model for the operation of SES and their role in energy sustainability, supported by theoretical and empirical results. The concept of homeostaticity in EPDS is explained, along with its role in SES.

Energy homeostasis model for electrical and thermal systems integration in residential buildings: a means to sustain distributed generation systems integration

“…Energy homeostasis is that property of energy systems by which they can reach and maintain a dynamic balance between supply and demand at all times just like a governor would in traditional electric power plants, albeit somewhat differently. Here, the energy system is able to respond to perturbations stemming from technical issues, environmental challenges and fluctuations in demand very rapidly and effectively so as to attain optimal equilibrium between the amount of power available for supplying the loads and the demand for energy coming from the loads (Cordova and Yanine, 2012;Caballero et al, 2013;Yanine and Sauma, 2013;Yanine et al, 2014a;Yanine et al, 2017;Yanine et al, 2018a;Yanine et al, 2018b;Yanine et al, 2019;Yanine et al, 2022). This is essential in order to preserve systems stability and continuity of operations in electric power systems' operation.…”

“…Predictive homeostatic control is distinguished from reactive homeostasis in the sense that the regulatory mechanisms do not operate after the facts (reactive) but before, anticipating (predicting) the occurrence of a given scenario and thus adjusting the energy system accordingly. These system-critical variables are part of the control system's model (Cordova and Yanine, 2012;Caballero et al, 2013;Yanine and Sauma, 2013;Yanine et al, 2014a;Yanine et al, 2017;Yanine et al, 2018b;Yanine et al, 2019;Yanine et al, 2022). The control system's model also measures performance in terms of customer satisfaction when he or she obtains the benefits set forth by the tariff structure and the microgrid takes advantage of Chilean law that regulates selfgeneration (Yanine et al, 2019;Yanine et al, 2022).…”

“…The residential community, as already explained, is termed a sustainable block ™ . The term comprises the synergistic and positive interaction and emergent behavior supportive of sustainable energy Frontiers in Energy Efficiency frontiersin.org systems' operation that complex systems interaction of this nature can be expected to exhibit (Caballero et al, 2013;Yanine and Cordova, 2013;Yanine and Sauma, 2013;Yanine et al, 2014a;Yanine et al, 2014b;Yanine et al, 2014c;Yanine et al, 2015;Yanine et al, 2017;Yanine et al, 2018b). The characteristics of the residential community are shown in Table 1 below.…”

Design and Simulation of an Energy Homeostaticity System for Electric and Thermal Power Management in a Building with Smart Microgrid

“…The first of them is the electric power system (EPS) feebleness and centralization. The centralization is a consequence of the traditional view of the power system, where it was considered the most convenient solution (at least with the technological levels of past years, and the lack of back-up and emergency systems to recover the whole system after a fault), but now the tendency is changing it to a more decentralized structure [20]. The second barrier is the legislation.…”

“…Specifically, it can be described as keeping continuous feedback between energy supply, generation and consumption (and also all other disaggregated values and variables in the microgrid), so as other action algorithms can be easily implemented to achieve certain objectives. These objectives could be a better use of renewable energy resources and DER [32], a wise management of storage systems and, of course, the use of more complicated information provided by the distribution system operator or the utility (which would correspond to the integration of explicit and implicit demand response (DR) programs) [20]. As can be seen, this type of control system has a huge potential to achieve a better integration between a building and the environment (i.e., the power supplier and the renewable energy resources) and also a smarter use of the building (from the point of view of internal conditions as temperature and comfort).…”