Page 25 - Advances in Renewable Energies and Power Technologies

xxiv Introduction

Chapter 3 focuses on the prediction of the solar energy resources. In this sense,
the authors used numerical models, time series tools, and sky imagery to the fore-
casting of the stochastic energy generation.
Chapter 4 presents and discusses different techniques for maximum power point
tracking (MPPT) techniques under normal and partial shading conditions with their
simulation and experimental setup. Then, the performance of the modified particle
swarm optimization has been studied and compared with the fuzzy logic controller
under partial shading conditions. Then, distributed maximum power point tracking
has been studied in Chapter 5, in which hybrid MPPT techniques are detailed.
Chapter 6 deals with the control of the PV power in grid-connected plants. In this
chapter, the authors detail how to ensure a smooth and friendly integration between
the PV systems and the grid. Thus, control methods have been presented and used to
limit the maximum feed-in power, control the maximum power change rate, and pro-
vide active power reserve. However, Chapter 7 concentrates in studying the perfor-
mance parameters of PV systems, as yields and performance ratio. These parameters
are used to determine the presence of faults in the studied PV installation.
Chapter 8 presents a method for sizing the elements of a hybrid PVediesel plant
using the particle swarm optimization algorithm. Then, an economic study has been
developed by evaluating the overall system’ cost and payback period, which have
been compared with diesel and PV and battery systems. Chapter 9 is concerned
with the PV irrigation systems, in which the authors studied the design and the per-
formance for such systems.
Chapter 10 focuses on a specific application of the PV energy: PV water pump-
ing. In this chapter, the author compared the performance of two methods for the
control of an induction machine that powers a water pump. The comparison is
basically based on the water volume pumped. However, Chapter 11 presents various
energy management algorithms for PV systems that include storage elements or
other energy sources, such as wind turbines.
Chapter 12 explains the main fundamentals of the concentrating power plant
technologies to convert solar energy resources into electricity and the technologies
used for solar thermal energy storage. In this chapter, the authors present a thermo-
dynamic and an economic study of an Organic Rankine Cycle coupled to parabolic
trough concentrator. While Chapter 13 proposes a new implementation of photother-
mal and PV panels for a specific application: solar cooking.
Chapter 14 focuses on the applicability of static synchronous compensators in
enhancing the quality of the electrical power in a wind farm and provides the needed
reactive power. Chapter 15 studies the control of doubly fed induction generator
(DFIG) in wind turbine plants. Moreover, this chapter presents a brief discussion
about the DFIG main issue and the corresponding solution. Finally, Chapter 16
presents a simple method to emulate a small-size wind turbine based on the control
of a DC machine, which allows to produce the electromagnetic torque and speed of
the wind turbine.
The results obtained in every chapter of the book are always illustrated using
numerical and experimental examples if possible, showing that they are simple to