Preface
The electric power system is moving into the smart grid era.
Energy efficiency, environmental friendliness, and operational security are the primary concerns for a smart grid. For the sustainability of the human society, it is a must to save nonrenewable energy and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide; to ensure grid security and stability, a proper proportion of power sources must be located in the load center so as to achieve local balance of electricity. In this context, microgrid, encompassing load, power source, and regulation, emerges.
Microgrid is one of the major forms to connect distributed clean energy to grids. Clean energy sources such as PV, wind, and energy storage are integrated into the microgrid on a household, building, or community basis, and the microgrid can centrally manage the distributed resources (DR) in the manner of “virtual power plant (VPP),” so as to adapt to the increasing penetration of distributed clean energy and improve the grids’ capability to accommodate these energy forms.
Microgrid is a major means to achieve local balance of electricity. The core of microgrid control and operation can be summed up as “independence and mutual support.” “Independence” allows the microgrid to be impervious to grid failure, and operate in islanded mode with little or no load loss, while “mutual support” means the microgrid and main grid can support each other, which not only ensures quality power supply of the microgrid, but also reduces the power transmission burden of the main grid.
Explaining technologies by case and engineering application is one of the features of this book. At present, quite a lot of books on microgrid are available. Instead of following the traditional way to introduce microgrid technologies, this book gives examples on how to analyze the impact of microgrids on traditional distribution networks. Through analysis, problems are raised and technologies are described and explained in solving the problems. Finally, the technologies are demonstrated in engineering application. This is helpful to make clear the viewpoints and provide reference for engineering application.
This book comprises 11 chapters, starting from introduction to roles and significance of microgrids, then classification, integration of DR, operation modes, control and protection, energy management, harmonic control, and earthing modes, then microgrid communication platforms, related standards, and finally analysis of a practical case. With this book, readers can get a clear picture of the concept and technologies of microgrid, and a deep understanding of microgrid engineering. It is a good book for people working on electrical system planning and design, equipment manufacture, and operation management, as well as college students and teachers of this discipline.
I have gained a lot from reading this book and therefore recommend it to you.
Harbin Institute of Technology
August 2014