Date of Award

5-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering (Holcomb Dept. of)

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. Rajendra Singh

Committee Member

Dr. Richard R. Brooks

Committee Member

Dr. Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy

Committee Member

Dr. Jiangfeng Zhang

Abstract

The consequences of climate change have emphasized the need for a power network that is centered around green, low-cost, and renewable sources of energy. Currently, photovoltaics (PV) and wind turbines are the only two technologies that can convert renewable energy from the sun and wind, respectively, into large-scale power for the electricity network. This dissertation aims to provide a novel solution to implement direct current-based architecture for PV generation coupled with lithium-ion battery storage in an efficient and sustainable manner. Such a power network can enable efficiency, reliability, low cost, and sustainability with minimum impact on the environment. The first chapter illustrates the benefits and concepts of end-to-end sustainable power networks. Three different load profiles are evaluated, and the proposed design for end-to-end Direct Current networks is discussed in subsequent chapters. The second chapter focuses on the most efficient and maximum utilization of PV and battery power in an AC infrastructure. A simulated use case for load satisfaction and feasibility analysis of 10 university-scale buildings is illustrated. The role of PV- and battery-based networks in fulfilling the new demand from the large-scale desalination of water using reverse water osmosis is discussed in Chapter Three. Chapter four analyzes the PV- and battery-based network from a global perspective for extreme fast electric vehicle charging. Finally, the business case and economic feasibility of enabling such end-to-end direct current networks are discussed in Chapter Five.

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2423-0519

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.