"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Tag: Electrical Engineering
Fault Detection and Diagnostics for Solar Plus Storage Systems
02/27/18
“Can we use fault detection and diagnosis on solar plus storage systems?”
In the past, Fault Detection and Diagnostics was typically used in conventional energy power plants. However, with the advent of distributed energy resources, we must take into account how they might fail. As such, Fault Detection and Diagnostics for Solar Plus Storage Systems is becoming an up and coming research topic.
Solar Plus Storage Systems
02/26/18
“What is the next phase of standalone solar systems?”
Until recently, solar energy was thought to be a simple, stand-alone product. However, with the global proliferation of PV, the frontier of sustainability has been expanded. With the advent of distributed energy resources, it is no longer sufficient to simply generate electricity from renewables but also storage. Here, a very interesting technology called Solar Plus Storage Systems comes into play. Solar Plus Storage Systems are the combination of solar panels and battery storage systems communicating with one another to allow for optimal use of energy generation, whether it be in demand-side response, microgrids, or energy back up.
Grid Modernization
02/25/18
“What does grid modernization entail?”
Around the developed world, the electric grid is collapsing. As such, there are now many new efforts to modernize the electric grid. This entails creating a grid that has a greater resilience to hazards of all types, improved reliability, enhanced security, additional affordability, superior flexibility, and increased sustainability.
Voltage Reduction for the Duck Curve
02/24/18
“How can we use voltage reduction to help the duck curve?”
The duck curve is one of the most pressing issues in renewable energy integration. However, most methods to ameliorate this are usually quite complicated. But how can we use our engineering mindsets to solve this problem? Well, we know that if we were to reduce the voltage that an appliance uses, then its power dissipation will go down. So what if we were to have an automated system where this will occur during peak energy use times? This is the idea behind Voltage Reduction for the Duck Curve and holds a promising future for demand response regulation.
Energy Storage for Grid Frequency Regulation
02/23/18
“How can we use energy storage to ensure grid reliability?”
One of the largest challenges facing grid integration is the infamous duck curve. The enormous spike up in electricity during times of low energy generation can wreck pure havoc on the grid. However, how can we use our engineering mindset to solve this problem? Well, what if we were to store excess energy generated, and withdraw it during times of need? This way, we can use Energy Storage for Grid Frequency Regulation!
Energy Storage as a Service
02/22/18
“How can we turn energy storage into a business?”
Traditionally, facilities had only two options for receiving electricity, generating their own or purchasing from a utility. But with the advent of renewable energy and advanced energy storage, this picture is starting to change. Facilities can now enter contracts with organizations to receive energy from energy storage systems. This venture known as Energy Storage as a Service has the potential to generate revenue, create savings, and improve electricity resiliency by providing clean energy at affordable rates
Pull-up Resistors
02/21/18
“How can we make sure that buttons on a microcontroller work?”
Microcontrollers are the backbone of modern-day mechatronics systems. However, the default circuitry has a serious problem. When a button is not pressed, the input automatically reads ground. This can cause serious misreadings to happen, which can cause the microcontroller to crash! So how can we use our engineering mindset to solve this problem? Well, what if we were to simply add a resistor to the input voltage? This way, when the switch is grounded, we can have the system read “High” instead of ground!
Laser Triangulation Sensors
02/17/18
“How can we measure distance using lasers?”
Laser Triangulation Sensors work as follows. A laser that will be reflected will be focused on an object. When this object moves, the reflection is picked up by the installed PSD detector lens, which then uses the voltage reading to find the distance.
Brownouts
02/15/18
“What happens when there is an unintentional drop in electric voltage in a power supply system?”
What roads were to Rome the electric grid is to modern civilization. Like a heart pumping blood to the rest of the body, the grid ensures that every component receives enough vital supplies. But sometimes, there is not enough voltage to go around, and as a result components will need to take a drop in voltage. This phenomenon is known as a brownout, and can lead to unexpected results like all of the lights in the city dimming down or space heaters losing their practical functionality.
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