Microgrids for Sustainable Energy
University of Trieste
Reference Teacher: Prof. Daniele Bosich
Teacher(s): Prof. Daniele Bosich
This course provides a comprehensive overview of renewable energy systems and microgrids within the broader framework of the energy transition. It covers the design, operation, and grid integration of renewable power plants, including wind, solar, hydro, and emerging technologies. Particular emphasis is placed on microgrid architectures, control strategies, and digital management systems, including hierarchical and distributed control approaches. Energy storage technologies and their integration into microgrids are analyzed from both technological and operational perspectives. The course also introduces advanced optimization methods, forecasting techniques, and data-driven approaches for system design and management. Practical aspects such as coordinated control, protection systems, and real-time testing are addressed through case studies and laboratory activities. Overall, the course equips students with the technical and methodological tools required to design and critically evaluate sustainable and resilient microgrids.
Master in Electrical Engineering
Understand the fundamental concepts underlying microgrids; be familiar with the main renewable energy sources and the static conversion solutions for their exploitation.
Be able to study control architectures for the efficient exploitation of the potential offered by microgrids.
Be able to apply the acquired knowledge to critically evaluate proposed microgrids, focusing both on plant engineering aspects and on issues related to converter control.
Acquire technical-scientific language aimed at effectively presenting technical and theoretical problems in the field of electrical networks for sustainable energy.
Be able to gather information from textbooks and scientific articles for the independent solution of problems related to microgrids.
Electrical Engineering. Electrical Power Systems. Fundamentals of Control Theory. Power Electronics.
Lectures; problem-solving sessions; seminars; laboratory activities; technical visits.
Oral examination
N/A
The expected learning outcomes can contribute to the achievements of Goals 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy; 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; 11- Sustainable Cities and Communities; 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production; 13 – Climate Action.
Contact Prof. Daniele Bosich dbosich@units.it
Environmental aspects; emission reduction; sustainable and renewable energy; evolution of electrical power systems; distributed generation; energy transition; energy communities; technological, social and political dimensions; benefits.
Energy sources; hydropower plants; mini/micro hydropower; pumped storage; wind power plants; energy conversion; DFIG and direct-drive solutions; offshore wind; grid impact; photovoltaic plants and design; grid impact; tidal power plants (barrage applications and tidal turbines); wave energy plants; geothermal plants; biomass plants; solar thermal plants; renewable energy conversion systems; grid-connected wind–PV systems; active low-voltage network users; case study of an alpine hydropower plant; technical–economic–environmental analysis.
Classification; structure; stakeholders; controllable elements; demand response; microgrids vs. virtual power plants (VPP); strategies; key actors; business models; technical, environmental and social benefits; drivers and barriers; multi-objective optimization; enabling technologies evolution; conventional DG control structures; operating modes; grid-forming, grid-feeding and grid-supporting control; virtual inertia.
Overview; technologies; classification; electrochemical storage (electrodes, electrolyte, applications: lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, lithium-ion, redox flow batteries); electrostatic storage (capacitors, supercapacitors; charge/discharge; losses and efficiency; energy/power density; datasheets; aging); electromagnetic storage (SMES; charge/discharge; losses, efficiency, advantages, applications); final review.
Functions; role of ICT; cybersecurity; LRA/combined cyber-attacks; monitoring infrastructure; microgrids in future smart grids; system and control architecture; centralized/decentralized/distributed control; data flow; communication protocols; finite state machines; real-time testing; hierarchical control (primary, secondary, tertiary); microgrid supervision and scheduling; droop control; virtual impedance control.
Power management via local measurements/communication networks; ancillary services; voltage and frequency regulation support; storage integration; inverter control for storage; hybrid solutions; forecasting of sources/loads/electricity prices; ANN-based forecasting; load shedding; black start; restoration guidelines; protection coordination.
Geometric parameterization; Bézier curves; Design of Experiments (DOE); random and Sobol sampling; full and fractional factorial design; statistical data analysis (t-Student, χ²); optimization algorithms (single-objective: Simplex; multi-objective: evolutionary algorithms); game theory; response surfaces (linear, quadratic, Kriging); neural networks; Gaussian processes.
Design methodology; preliminary choices; PV and storage design; analysis and verification; Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); optimization; process variables; coordinated control; active damping; DC microgrids for sustainable charging; battery definition; system design; coordinated power management; day–night transition transients; Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing; flexible management validation; case studies; selected papers and bibliography.
Gilbert M. Masters, “Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems”, Wiley 2004.
Nikos Hatziargyriou, “Microgrids: Architectures and Control”, Wiley, 2014
Hassan Bevrani, Bruno Francois, Toshifumi Ise, “Microgrid Dynamics and Control”, Wiley, 2017.
Naser Mahdavi Tabatabaei, Ersan Kabalci, Nicu Bizon, “Microgrid Architectures, Control and Protection Methods”, Springer, 2020.
Michael Sterner, Ingo Stadler, “Handbook of Energy Storage Demand, Technologies, Integration”, Springer, 2019. Flávia de Andrade, Miguel Castilla, Benedito Donizeti Bonatto, “Basic tutorial on simulation of microgrids control using MATLAB® & Simulink® software”, Springer, 2020.
Rajeev Kumar Chauhan Kalpana Chauhan, “Distributed Energy Resources in Microgrids: Integration, Challenges and Optimization”, Elsevier, 2019.
Gevork Garehpetian, Hamid Baghaee, Masoud Shabestary, “Microgrids and Methods of Analysis”, Elsevier, 2021