Javier Campillo

A Comprehensive Review of Smart Energy Meters in Intelligent Energy Networks

The significant increase in energy consumption and the rapid development of renewable energy, such as solar power and wind power, have brought huge challenges to energy security and the environment, which, in the meantime, stimulate the development of energy networks toward a more intelligent direction. Smart meters are the most fundamental components in the intelligent energy networks (IENs). In addition to measuring energy flows, smart energy meters can exchange the information on energy consumption and the status of energy networks between utility companies and consumers. Furthermore, smart energy meters can also be used to monitor and control home appliances and other devices according to the individual consumers instruction. This paper systematically reviews the development and deployment of smart energy meters, including smart electricity meters, smart heat meters, and smart gas meters. By examining various functions and applications of smart energy meters, as well as associated benefits and costs, this paper provides insights and guidelines regarding the future development of smart meters.

Electricity demand impact from increased use of ground sourced heat pumps

The use of ground-sourced heat pumps as main heating systems has increased in Sweden in the last fifteen years to the point that it is the country with the highest amount of GSHP in Europe. Heat pumps are chosen by many households due to their economic savings value; In contrast, electricity prices in Sweden have almost doubled since 2006, threatening their economic benefits. It is therefore, essential to understand GSHPs impact on the users electricity consumption and provide suitable demand-response programs that could help develop a model capable of forecasting consumption and provide decision support information to make the best use of the technology. This paper analyses questionnaire surveys and consumption patterns were evaluated for 322 households with installed GSHPs and different pricing schemes in order to increase the understanding of mass use of this type of heating system.

Flow batteries use potential in heavy vehicles

Although batteries have been used in personal vehicles for more than a hundred years, the cost of the technology, limitation in range, absence of sufficient recharging infrastructure and rapid development of internal combustion engines during the mid-twentieth century limited its use to very niche applications. More recently, a global need for reducing CO2 emissions from fossil fuel usage and the great developments in power systems as well as in battery technology offers electric vehicles the possibility to return to the market, not just for personal use but also for a wide variety of transportation applications. In the present paper, a feasibility study for using flow batteries in heavy vehicles, more specifically, construction equipment is presented. The authors used measured energy demand profiles for different operation conditions of a wheel loader and developed a simulation model for a vanadium redox flow battery to test the performance of this vehicle using a flow battery. Additionally, the authors did a short theoretical analysis for the potential for flow batteries in train transportation, focusing on the requirements and limitations of the technology for this application.

Battery Technologies for Transportation Applications

More than a fifth of the greenhouse emissions produced worldwide come from the transport sector. Several initiatives have been developed over the last few decades, aiming at improving vehicles’ energy conversion efficiency and improve mileage per liter of fuel. Most recently, electric vehicles have been brought back into the market as real competitors of conventional vehicles. Electric vehicle technology offers higher conversion efficiencies, reduced greenhouse emissions, low noise, etc. There are, however, several challenges to overcome, for instance: improving batteries’ energy density to increase the driving range, fast recharging, and initial cost. These issues are addressed on this chapter by looking in depth into both conventional and non-conventional storage technologies in different transportation applications.