Renewable Energy - Smart Grids

The energy transition is often associated with goals for deploying renewable energy generation sources (wind, solar, hydroelectric, etc.). The use of intermittent sources creates specific challenges for electricity transmission and distribution networks. This course will consist of three parts: a technological and theoretical section on power grids; a second section on power generation and renewable energy sources, with a focus on wind power; and finally, a third section on the digital evolution of power grids: smart grids.

This course unit will:

• Define the technology used in all components of a high- and low-voltage electrical distribution network.
• To provide the knowledge necessary to understand the functions and characteristics of electrical power systems (architectures, overhead and underground lines, voltage levels, power ratings, transformers, alternators, etc.) and
• Enable the selection and installation of equipment based on specific needs (insulation, protective devices, controls, etc.).
• Define electrical safety rules for work activities, thereby enabling workers to understand and follow lockout procedures.
• Enable students to determine, select, and set protection parameters based on the characteristics of the power system and equipment, by explaining how to calculate fault currents and the basic use of professional calculation software.
• Describe the selection of grounding schemes that meet specific technical specifications and economic criteria, as well as constraints related to availability, quality, and so on…
• To provide an overview of the current state of the art in electrical energy storage technologies and to present the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier in conjunction with electrical energy and the energy transition.
• Describe the means of production and explain the conversion principle for wind and hydroelectric power generation.
• Introduce methods for studying wind power projects, analyzing wind resources, understanding regulations, addressing grid connection issues, and assessing environmental impacts.
• Introduce smart grids and the use of the Internet and industrial networks in the protection and control of power grids.

The objective of this course is to ensure that, by the end of the course, students have mastered the definitions, functions, and characteristics of electrical power systems and their components (generation, transmission, protection, and control elements, etc.). Students will be able to calculate the characteristic electrical parameters of the power system and its equipment. They will be able to select and calibrate measuring instruments and protective devices according to specific needs and constraints. They will be able to propose system configurations suited to a given protection scheme or grounding configuration. Students will be able to size, select, and protect a distribution transformer; calculate and verify the hourly index; and propose parallel connection configurations. They will understand the construction, structure, and characteristics of synchronous and asynchronous generators.

Students will be familiar with the various storage solutions and will understand their main characteristics. They will be able to size the appropriate storage system (in terms of power, operating time, etc.) and will be able to select or recommend monitoring and protection measures (e.g., BMS: Battery Management System).

The student will be able to identify the various existing means of production, along with their characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. They will be able to explain and calculate the principles of wind and hydroelectric energy conversion. They will be able to successfully carry out a study of a wind energy project (resource assessment, regulations, grid connection) and will be able to incorporate environmental considerations related to the design of wind turbines and the siting of wind farms.

Finally, they will have knowledge of smart grids and will be familiar with key terms, definitions, and examples of their implementation.

A bachelor’s degree in EEA or science and technology that includes coursework on the basic principles of electrical engineering (sinusoidal operation, transformers, etc.).

Be familiar with the basic concepts of the mathematical tools used to study sinusoidal systems (complex calculus, Fresnel representation, trigonometry).

Understand the basic principles of how electric machines work.

Course unit with continuous assessment. Exam and research project.

1. Introduction to Energy: General Information. Transmission and Distribution of Electrical Energy. Power Quality. High-Voltage (HV) and Low-Voltage (LV) Grid Architectures. Symbols in electrical diagrams. Equipment—Electrical Safety, Lockout/Tagout. Short-circuit calculations and network protection. Grounding schemes—Architectures—Personal protection. Transformers: technologies, characteristics, hourly ratings, parallel operation, protection. Generators: technologies, characteristics, parallel operation, protection
2. Electrical energy storage. Batteries. Fuel cells—Hydrogen production. Inertial storage.
3. Means of Production: Introduction and General Information. Thermal, Wind, Hydropower, Ocean Energy, Photovoltaic, Biomass, and Cogeneration. Principles of Energy Conversion in Wind Turbines. Principles of Energy Conversion in Hydropower Plants. Conversion Architectures.
4. Wind power project. Case study (wind, software, etc.). Regulations governing intermittent power generation: wind power. Issues related to grid connection. Carbon footprint and eco-design.
5. Smart Grids. Definitions - Examples of Architectures. The Internet in Smart Grids.

CM: 33 hours