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The researchers and policy makers worldwide have proposed many ideas for smart cities and homes in urban areas. The extensive work done for urban smart homes neglects the unique constraints of homes at remote mountain tops and deserts and rural village homes. The purpose of this paper is to propose a smart energy management system for a self-sustained home of any type situated in any geographical location with the availability of renewable energy sources like solar, etc. The purpose is mainly to highlight the importance and advantages of direct current (DC) homes with DC loads rather than a conventional alternating current (AC) home with both AC and DC loads. An attempt has been made to evolve a multi-agent coordinated control for the low voltage direct current (LVDC) smart home system.

LVDC supply systems with in situ power generation are providing an efficient solution for the energy needs of a DC smart home. The individual sub-systems of the LVDC system have their unique functions and priorities and hence require both coordinated and independent control. The entire DC smart home system is modeled in the Matlab and codes are implemented for each agent of the home. LVDC grid is operating either in battery connected mode or utility grid-connected mode, and the DC link voltage is held constant in both the cases. Energy imported from the utility grid is minimized by load shedding during the rectifier mode of the bidirectional converter. In addition, load shedding is also done when the battery is discharging to increase the discharge time of the battery. Load shedding is done on the basis of a fixed priority of loads. A 48 s simulation is performed on the Matlab model to bring out the 24-hour operation of the proposed system. Various modes are simulated and the corresponding actions of the agents are tested.

A new control strategy with agents for each sub-system of the LVDC system is presented. Each individual agent works in tandem with other agents and meets its own control imperatives without compromising the requirements of the overall system. Unlike the centralized control system, the proposed control strategy is a distributed control system. The control algorithm for each of the agents is developed, and the pseudo code is presented. The results of the simulation of the proposed scheme are presented to confirm the usefulness of the new control approach.

The multi-agent concept for an energy management system is less addressed and thus its potential for efficient home energy management is presented. The proposed multi-agent strategy for a complete DC smart home with exclusive DC loads is not done earlier and is reported for the first time. The success of this strategy can be extended to other DC micro-grid systems like telecom power systems, ships, aircraft, datacentres, server rooms, residential complexes and commercial malls.

The purpose of this paper is to describe an optimization methodology based on a mixed (analytical‐numerical) design model and evolutionary algorithms.

In this paper, optimal sizing is used to design the new architecture of an embedded electrical system. An approach is presented for defining the specifications and a method for modeling an embedded electrical network. This will enable the optimization problem to be set.

This paper shows that the proposed methodology is useful for sizing an embedded electrical system. It is illustrated by its application to the sizing of an aircraft electrical power channel (auto‐transformer‐rectifier unit type).

An original approach is proposed for limiting the search space before using the evolutionary algorithms. The advantage of this approach is to increase convergence speed of the evolutionary algorithms.

An unreliable supply of grid electricity has a strong negative impact on industrial and commercial profitability as well as on household activities and government services that rely on electricity supply. This unreliable grid electricity could be a result of technical and security factors affecting the grid network. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of technical and security factors on the transmission and distribution of grid electricity in Uganda.

This study used the ordinary least squares (OLS) and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models to examine the effects of technical and security factors on grid electricity reliability in Uganda. The study draws upon secondary time series monthly data sourced from the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) government utility, which transmits electricity to both distributors and grid users. Additionally, data from Umeme Limited, the largest power distribution utility in Uganda, were incorporated into the analysis.

The findings revealed that technical faults, failed grid equipment, system overload and theft and vandalism affected grid electricity reliability in the transmission and distribution subsystems of the Ugandan power grid network. The effect was computed both in terms of frequency and duration of power outages. For instance, the number of power outages was 116 and 2,307 for transmission and distribution subsystems, respectively. In terms of duration, the power outages reported on average were 1,248 h and 5,826 h, respectively, for transmission and distribution subsystems.

This paper investigates the effects of technical and security factors on the transmission and distribution grid electricity reliability, specifically focusing on frequency and duration of power outages, in the Ugandan context. It combines both OLS and ARDL models for analysis and adopts the systems reliability theory in the area of grid electricity reliability research.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the dc-link voltage for the converter of a wind generator should be selected, i.e. to determine the losses in the generator and the converter when using various dc-link voltage levels.

To presents the efficiency evaluation of 5 MW wind turbine generating systems, two 5 MW surface mounted permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) with medium and low rated voltage is designed. A two-level transistor converter is considered for ac/dc conversion. Three different dc-link voltage levels are used. By using these voltage levels the PMSG is utilized in slightly different ways.

It is found that the system with the lower voltage machine has slightly higher annual energy efficiency compare to the higher voltage system. Furthermore, it is shown that the best choice for the dc-link voltage level is a voltage between the minimum voltage which gives the desired torque and the voltage which gives Maximum Torque Per Ampere.

A procedure as well as investigations with quantified results on how to find the highest complete drive system efficiency for a wind turbine application. Based on two given PMSG, the most energy-efficient dc-link voltage has been established.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the machine design and control strategy of the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) system, especially utilized in variable speed applications, in order to stabilize the output voltage on the dc link over a wide speed range.

Different ac/dc power converter topologies are comparatively studied, each with an accordingly designed PMSG, so as to investigate the influence of the armature winding inductance as well as the relationship between the PMSG and power converter topologies.

Pulse width modulation (PWM) rectifier is preferable for the said application due to its good performance and controllability. Moreover, by employing the PWM rectifier, relatively large inductance of the PMSG is considered for both short-circuit current reduction and field regulation.

Field-regulating control is realized with a space vector PWM (SVPWM) rectifier, which can weaken the PMSG magnetic field during high-speed operation, while even properly enhance the field at low speed, ensuring a small change of the PMSG output voltage and a stable dc voltage.

Power‐electronic systems have been playing a significant role in the integration of large‐scale wind turbines into power systems due to the fact that during the past three decades power‐electronic technology has experienced a dramatic evolution. This second part of the paper aims to focus on a comprehensive survey of power converters and their associated control systems for high‐power wind energy generation applications.

Advanced control strategies, i.e. field‐oriented vector control and direct power control, are initially reviewed for wind‐turbine driven doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) systems. Various topologies of power converters, comprising back‐to‐back (BTB) connected two‐ and multi‐level voltage source converters (VSCs), BTB current source converters (CSCs) and matrix converters, are identified for high‐power wind‐turbine driven PMSG systems, with their respective features and challenges outlined. Finally, several control issues, viz., basic control targets, active damping control and sensorless control schemes, are elaborated for the machine‐ and grid‐side converters of PMSG wind generation systems.

For high‐power PMSG‐based wind turbines ranging from 3 MW to 5 MW, parallel‐connected 2‐level LV BTB VSCs are the most cost‐effective converter topology with mature commercial products, particularly for dual 3‐phase stator‐winding PMSG generation systems. For higher‐capacity wind‐turbine driven PMSGs rated from 5 MW to 10 MW, medium voltage multi‐level converters, such as 5‐level regenerative CHB, 3‐ and 4‐level FC BTB VSC, and 3‐level BTB VSC, are preferred. Among them, 3‐level BTB NPC topology is the favorite with well‐proven technology and industrial applications, which can also be extensively applicable with open‐end winding and dual stator‐winding PMSGs so as to create even higher voltage/power wind generation systems. Sensorless control algorithms based on fundamental voltages/currents are suggested to be employed in the basic VC/DPC schemes for enhancing the robustness in the entire PMSG‐based wind power generation system, due to that the problems related with electromagnetic interferences in the position signals and the failures in the mechanical encoders can be avoided.

This second part of the paper for the first time systematically reviews the latest state of arts with regard to power converters and their associated advanced control strategies for high‐power wind energy generation applications. It summarizes a variety of converter topologies with pros and cons highlighted for different power ratings of wind turbines.

The purpose of studying the low voltage direct current (DC) microgrid, which uses computerised control system techniques, an orderly coordination control stratagem considering optimisation of a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) was projected in this paper.

The projected control stratagem was divided into three levels: topmost power dispatch level, transitional bus voltage regulation level and bottommost converter control level.

At the topmost power dispatch level, the cost of system stability was introduced, which is related with state of charge and discharging power of HESS.

Furthermore, the cost of system stability and HESS depreciation was compared with commercial price, and HESS switches its operating mode to discharge more at higher price or charge more at lower price to ensure the DC microgrid in economic operation. At the transitional bus voltage regulation level, DC bus gesturing is used as a control signal to achieve an autonomous decentralised operation of DC microgrid. The Matlab/Simulink simulation inveterate that the economical and autonomous decentralised operation can be achieved through the control stratagem.

At first, the organic/inorganic and hybrid PV materials by their electrical model are described. Then the proposed converter topology, circuit analysis and various operating modes of converter according to on/off timing of switches are investigated. The current and voltage in the converter components are illustrated and the voltage gain and switching stress of proposed converter are presented. Finally, to show the effectiveness of the proposed converter, the power loss analysis is provided and the simulation is done in PSIM software. In the last section, the advantages of the proposed topology of higher efficiency by lower number of components in compare with other conventional topologies are presented.

In this paper, an improved topology of DC-DC converter based on VL technique is proposed for Perovskite Solar cells (PeSCs). The PeSCs attracted a lot of interest due to their potential in combining the advantages of both organic and inorganic components. The proposed converter by using fewer components and higher output voltage generation in compare with conventional ones could be a good candidate for PeSCs due to lower efficiency of this cells. The performance of converter is expressed in continuous conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous conduction mode (DCM), and the boundary conditions for the proposed converter is presented.

By using VL technique, this converter is used to boost the lower output voltage levels of PeSCs for grid connection. The PV cell output voltage is increased from 24.5 V to 106 V by proposed converter topology. The step-by-step voltage increasing by charging and discharging of inductor and capacitor is used for boosting the input voltage. By comparing other converters, there is no design complexity in the proposed converter structure, and the power loss is much reduced which increases the converter efficiency. On the other hand, due to using lower number of elements of energy storage elements such as inductors and capacitors, the converter cost is also diminished. Therefore, the design topology simplicity which result simple control algorithm and lower number of components which diminish the system cost by appropriate voltage boosting capability are the main advantages of this proposed topology for new PeSCs which don’t have enough efficiency in compare with old Si PV cells.

In this paper, by using the lower number of components a new structure of DC-DC converter based on the VL technique is proposed. The advantages of this converter such as the simplicity, easier control and high voltage gain by lower power loss, could make this converter a good candidate for new PeSCs where the system whole efficiency will be a critical point to have the unique properties of this new materials in lower loss.

This article is aims to inform aircraft propulsion system designers of the implications which fundamental power distribution design assumptions have on the effectiveness and viability of turboelectric distributed propulsion (TeDP) systems. Improvements and challenges associated with selecting alternating or direct current for normal- and superconducting distribution systems are presented. Additionally, for superconducting systems, the benefits of bi-polar DC distribution are discussed, as well as the implications of operating voltage on the mass and efficiency of TeDP grid components.

The approach to this paper selects several high-level fundamental configuration decisions, which must be made, and it qualitatively discusses potential implications of these decisions.

Near term TeDP architectures which employ conventionally conducting systems may benefit from alternating current (AC) distribution concepts to eliminate the mass and losses associated with power conversion. Farther term TeDP concepts which employ superconducting technologies may benefit from direct current (DC) distribution to reduce the cryocooling requirements stemming from AC conduction losses. Selecting the operating voltage for superconducting concepts requires a divergence from the present day criteria employed with terrestrial superconducting transmission systems.

The criteria presented in the paper will assist in the early conceptual architecting of TeDP systems.

The governing principles behind the configuration of multi-MW airborne electrical microgrid systems are presently immature. This paper represents a unique look and the motivating principles behind fundamental electrical configuration decisions in the context of TeDP.

This paper aims to review comprehensively the different voltage-boosting techniques and classifies according to their voltage gain, stress on the semiconductor devices, count of the total components and their prominent features. Hence, the focus is on non-isolated step-up converters. The converters categorized are analyzed according to their category with graphical representation.

Many converters have been reported in recent years in the literature to meet our power requirements from mill watts to megawatts. Fast growth in the generation of renewable energy in the past few years has promoted the selection of suitable converters that directly impact the behaviour of renewable energy systems. Step-up converters are a fast-emerging switching power converter in various power supply units. Researchers are more attracted to the derivation of novel topology with a high voltage gain, low voltage and current stress, high efficiency, low cost, etc.

A comparative study is done on critical metrics such as voltage gain, switch voltage stress and component count. Besides, the converters are also summarized based on their advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, the areas that need to be explored in this field are identified and presented.

Types of analysis usually performed in dc converter and their needs with the areas need to be focused are not yet completely reviewed in most of the articles. This paper gives an eyesight on these topics. This paper will guide the researchers to derive and suggest a suitable topology for the chosen application. Moreover, it can be used as a handbook for studying the various topologies with their shortfalls, which will provide a way for researchers to focus.