Maximizing Real-Time Distribution of Wind-Electricity to Electrical Thermal Storage Units for Residential Space Heating

Abstract

Wind-electricity is unpredictable in both intensity and duration. This thesis presents the design and implementation of Client-pull and Server-push architectures for the distribution of wind-electricity to Electrical Thermal Storage (ETS) units to match the electrical load of the ETS units with the electricity generation levels. Wind as an energy source is reviewed and the smart grid concept of a communication layer for the transmission, production and usage of electricity is explored. ETS operation is explained and a survey of the Client-pull and Server-push concepts. These implementations are evaluated on their ability to dispatch wind-electricity over a full heating season, short term latency, single day performance and complexity. Client-pull and Server-push architectures have nearly identical performance over a full heating season and identical performance over the 24 hour period evaluated. The Server-push architecture has lower short-term latency but is more complex than the Client-pull.