The second edition of this book is an expanded, revised, and updated version, which
was prepared when I was invited to teach a course as a visiting professor in emerging
electrical power technologies at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Teaching the
full course to inquisitive students and short courses to professional engineers enhanced the contents in many ways. It is designed and tested to serve as textbook
for a semester course for university seniors in electrical and mechanical engineering
fields. For practicing engineers there is a detailed treatment of this rapidly growing
segment of the power industry. Government policymakers will benefit by the over�view of the material covered in the book, which is divided into 4 parts in 19 chapters.
Part A covers wind power technologies and ongoing programs in the U.S. and
around the world. It includes engineering fundamentals, the probability distributions
of wind speed, the annual energy potential of a site, the wind speed and energy maps
of several countries, and wind power system operation and the control requirements.
As most wind plants use induction generators for converting turbine power into
electrical power, the theory of the induction machine performance and operation is
reviewed. The electrical generator speed control for capturing maximum energy
under wind fluctuations over the year is presented. The rapidly developing offshore
wind farms with their engineering, operational, and legal aspects are covered in
detail.
Part B covers solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies and current developments
around the world. It starts with the energy conversion characteristics of the photo�voltaic cell, and then the array design, effect of the environment variables, sun�tracking methods for maximum power generation, the controls, and emerging trendsare discussed.
Part C starts with the large-scale energy storage technologies often required to augment nondispatchable energy sources, such as wind and PV, to improve the availability of power to users. It covers characteristics of various batteries, their design methods using the energy balance analysis, factors influencing their operation,and battery management methods. Energy density and the life and operating cost per kilowatthour delivered are presented for various batteries such as lead-acid,nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal-hydride, and lithium-ion. The energy storage by the
flywheel, compressed air, and the superconducting coil, and their advantages over the batteries are reviewed. Basic theory and operation of the power electronic
converters and inverters used in the wind and solar power systems are then presented.
Over two billion people in the world not yet connected to the utility grid are the
largest potential market of stand-alone power systems using wind and PV systems
in hybrid with diesel generators or fuel cells, which are discussed in detail. The grid�connected renewable power systems are covered with voltage and frequency control
methods needed for synchronizing the generator with the grid. The theory and
operating characteristics of the interconnecting transmission lines, voltage regula�tion, maximum power transfer capability, and static and dynamic stability are cov�ered.
Part C continues with overall electrical system performance, the method of designing system components to operate at their maximum possible efficiency, static and dynamic bus performance, harmonics, and the increasingly important quality of power issues applicable to the renewable power systems. The total plant economy and the costing of energy delivered to the paying customers are presented. It also
shows the importance of a sensitivity analysis to raise the confidence level of the
investors. The profitability charts are presented for preliminary screening of potential sites. Also reviewed are past and present trends of wind and PV power, the declining�price model based on the learning curve, and the Fisher–Pry substitution model for predicting the future market growth of wind and PV power based on historical data
on similar technologies. The effect of utility restructuring, mandated by the Energy
Policy Act of 1992, and its benefits on the renewable power producers are discussed.
Part D covers the ancillary power system derived from the sun, the ultimate
source of energy on the earth. It starts with the utility-scale solar thermal power
plant using concentrating heliostats and molten salt steam turbine. It then covers
solar-induced wind power, marine current power, ocean wave power, and hydropi�ezoelectric power generators. Finally, it examines in detail a novel contrarotating
wind turbine that can improve the wind-to-electricity conversion efficiency by 25 to
40% from a given wind farm area. As the available wind farm areas, on land or
offshore, are becoming constrained due to various environment reasons, this concept
holds future potential. The last chapter includes detailed prototype construction and
test methods to guide young researchers in this evolving field.
Lastly, Appendix 1 presents the National Electrical Code® as applicable to the
renewable power sources. Appendix 2 gives sources of further information (names
and addresses of government agencies, universities, and manufacturers active in
renewable power around the world, references for further reading, list of acronyms,
and conversion of units).
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