Low-carbon Oriented Planning and Operation of New Entities in Smart Grid

Abstract

The traditional energy systems are in transition towards smart grids featuring renewable energy generation, energy storage and demand side management with two-way information and electricity flows. This transition introduces multiple challenges towards the operation and planning of the energy systems in order to achieve emission reduction and sustainability while trying to maintain system stability and reliability. Research on this energy transition has been focused on smart grid technologies incorporating the interdependent physical power systems and the ICT network for data and information flow in a smart grid.

Under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the electricity sector remains one of the largest contributors to global emissions and plays a critical role in achieving sustainability. This thesis investigates emerging elements in modern energy systems—namely, Internet Data Centers (IDCs), Energy Storage Systems (ESS), and Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)—as key enablers for the transition toward low-carbon and sustainable power systems. It has been observed that in many power grids internationally, IDCs are among the fast-growing loads, and there has been an urgent need for green IDCs in smart grids.

A comprehensive literature review with critical analysis of the latest technologies in smart grid, relevant to emission reduction is given, followed by innovative frameworks of controlling internet data centers, optimal operation and planning of energy storage systems for green internet data centers, and a trading platform for carbon emissions with distributed energy. These research innovations of the thesis provide effective and efficient tools for smart grid operations in both system reliability and market trading for social benefit maximization considering green electricity future for the low-carbon energy transition happening around the world in the power sector.