The interest in installing photovoltaic (PV)-based microgrids has increased significantly in the last few years due to the urgent need for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the reliability as well as the quality of power supply, particularly in developing countries. The design of a microgrid is challenging since multiple components and complicated operating conditions have to be taken into account. In this article, a comprehensive method for optimal design of a class of residential PV-battery microgrids is proposed to determine the optimal number of lead-acid batteries and PV panels, the optimal battery bank depth of discharge (DOD) value, and the optimal tilt angle of the PV panels. The aim of the optimization is to minimize the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) where the limitation of the annual total loss of the power supply and the operational constraints are considered. In addition, a detailed model for battery lifetime estimation is introduced based on the physico-chemical mechanism of the lead-acid battery. Moreover, the effect of design parameters, e.g., the size and DOD of the battery bank on the battery capacity degradation, the PV-panel number and battery lifetime on LCOE, is investigated. Computation results demonstrate that the proposed method is capable of optimizing the size of the microgrid components and the other design parameters while satisfying all technical and operational constraints.

Design Optimization of a Residential PV-Battery Microgrid With a Detailed Battery Lifetime Estimation Model

Optimal sizing and power schedule in PV household-prosumers for improving PV self-consumption and providing frequency containment reserve

The expansion on the use of Electric Vehicles demands new mechanisms to ease the charging process, making it autonomous and with a reduced user intervention. This paper reviews the technologies applied to the wireless charge of Electric Vehicles. In particular, it focuses on the technologies based on the induction principle, the capacitive-based techniques, those that use radiofrequency waves and the laser powering. As described, the convenience of each technique depends on the requirements imposed on the wireless power transfer. Specifically, we can state that the power level, the distance between the power source and the electric vehicle or whether the transfer is executed with the vehicle on the move or not or the cost are critical parameters that need to be taken into account to decide which technology to use. In addition, each technique requires some complementary electronics. This paper reviews the main components that are incorporated into these systems and it provides a review of their most relevant configurations.

Wireless Power Transfer Technologies Applied to Electric Vehicles: A Review

Optimal sizing and management strategy for PV household-prosumers with self-consumption/sufficiency enhancement and provision of frequency containment reserve

Implantable and ingestible biomedical electronic devices can be useful tools for detecting physiological and pathophysiological signals, and providing treatments that cannot be done externally However, one major challenge in the development of these devices is the limited lifetime of their power sources The state-of-the-art of powering technologies for implantable and ingestible electronics is reviewed here The structure and power requirements of implantable and ingestible biomedical electronics are described to guide the development of powering technologies These powering technologies include novel batteries that can be used as both power sources and for energy storage, devices that can harvest energy from the human body, and devices that can receive and operate with energy transferred from exogenous sources Furthermore, potential sources of mechanical, chemical, and electromagnetic energy present around common target locations of implantable and ingestible electronics are thoroughly analyzed; energy harvesting and transfer methods befitting each energy source are also discussed Developing power sources that are safe, compact, and have high volumetric energy densities is essential for realizing long-term in-body biomedical electronics and for enabling a new era of personalized healthcare

Powering Implantable and Ingestible Electronics.

Wireless Power Transfer for Electric Vehicles: Foundations and Design Approach

The problem of sizing an electrochemical energy storage system for renewable energy integration is a complex task. There are several system input parameters that must be taken into account for a correct design. Among them, the ageing characteristic of the technology, the service that the system provides, i.e. the power profile that the system faces and the desired C-rate are considered. A simple solution for this problem is not available in the literature. This study presents a simple yet robust optimisation-based model for renewable energy integration. The model explicitly takes into account the intrinsic battery ageing process. The authors propose a formulation for the optimisation problem that can be written in terms of just one continuous variable, namely, the amount of energy that the battery is able to store (battery size); using the proposed procedure, solving the problem obtained is a relatively straightforward task. Results are first discussed using an illustrative example and later extended to two real case studies.

https://ietresearch.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1049/iet-rpg.2018.5489

Optimal battery sizing considering degradation for renewable energy integration

Wireless power transfer is foreseen as a suitable technology to provide charge without cables to electric vehicles. This technology is mainly supported by two coupled coils, whose mutual inductance is sensitive to their relative positions. Variations on this coefficient greatly impact the electrical magnitudes of the wireless charger. The aim of this paper is the design and validation of a control algorithm for an Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2954-compliant wireless charger to guarantee some operational and electrical constraints. These constraints are designed to prevent some components from being damaged by excessive voltage or current. This paper also presents the details for the design and implementation of the bidirectional charger topology in which the proposed controller is incorporated. The controller is installed on the primary and on the secondary side, given that wireless communication is necessary with the other side. The input data of the controller helps it decide about the phase shift required to apply in the DC/AC converter. The experimental results demonstrate how the system regulates the output voltage of the DC/AC converter so that some electrical magnitudes do not exceed predefined thresholds. The regulation, which has been tested when coil misalignments occur, is proven to be effective.

/pdf/design-and-validation-of-a-control-algorithm-for-a-sae-j2954-5fp8sgw1j6.pdf

Design and Validation of a Control Algorithm for a SAE J2954-Compliant Wireless Charger to Guarantee the Operational Electrical Constraints

The automotive industry is undergoing a transition toward cleaner and more efficient technologies. Electric vehicles (EVs) play a relevant role in this scenario. However, these vehicles continue to suffer from limitations in terms of autonomy and charging times, which can be alleviated with wireless charging technology. This technology facilitates the charging process but has a lower efficiency when compared with conductive chargers. This effect is particularly severe under misalignment conditions and with the usual variations of the battery's electrical features. In order to avoid this disadvantage, this article presents a predictive control algorithm focused on maximizing the charging efficiency. As a novelty, the algorithm sets three configuration parameters in the power converters of the system. The main advantage lies in the fact that it does not need constant monitoring and offers very low response times. This control also improves compatibility with different automobile manufacturers, adding the capacity to work with receivers and batteries with diverse characteristics while complying with international standards. The validity of the proposal is verified by theoretical analysis, simulations, and the experimental results of a 2-kW prototype. The results show the feasibility of the proposed control and the improvement in the efficiency of the system.

José M. González-González

Papers

Wireless Power Transfer Technologies Applied to Electric Vehicles: A Review

Wireless Power Transfer for Electric Vehicles: Foundations and Design Approach

Optimal battery sizing considering degradation for renewable energy integration

Design and Validation of a Control Algorithm for a SAE J2954-Compliant Wireless Charger to Guarantee the Operational Electrical Constraints

Model Predictive Control to Maximize the Efficiency in EV Wireless Chargers