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Smart grid technology is being rolled out around the world, with the United States nearing completion of a particularly significant 4 plus billion-dollar Federal program funded under the American Recovery and Reconstruction Act (2009). Under the Climate Change Working Group Implementation Plan, Smart Grid activity comparative analyses are being conducted of benefits estimation methods with example applications to 4 case study smart grid projects, 2 in each country. In this first study, three of eight Southern California Edison’s Irvine Smart Grid Demonstration Project sub-project benefits have been analysed over the period 2010-2035. The analysis uses the Smart Grid Computational Tool (SGCT) developed by Navigant Consulting Inc. for the U.S. Department of Energy based on Electric Power Research Institute methods. Results show significant benefits potential for technologies such as distribution voltage and VAR control and utility-scale batteries, while a 22-residence zero net energy home demonstration inspired by California’s 2020 residential energy efficiency standard falls far short of economic breakeven at the current stage of costs and technology performance. The experience gathered indicates the SGCT being intended for widespread U.S. smart grid evaluation use is necessarily simple, and consequently has limited applicability for international applications or comparisons.

This report articulates and justifies the preliminary selection of diagnostic applications for data from micro-synchrophasors (µPMUs) in electric power distribution systems that will be further studied and developed within the scope of the three-year ARPA-e award titled Micro-synchrophasors for Distribution Systems.

This report describes the tests conducted to determine the behavior of two Capstone 30 kW microturbines connected in parallel with some impedance between them. This test was meant to simulate the operation of two microturbines at nearby customer facilities. This arrangement also constitutes a simple microgrid. The goal of this test was to investigate if any voltage and power instabilities exist between the two microturbines. Two test sequences were conducted. The first test sequence operated two microturbine/load bank pairs using manual control of the microturbine and load bank setpoints. The second test sequence used the Capstone Load Following mode of operation to control generation levels of one of the microturbines. The two microturbine/load bank sets were connected together through a 300 foot long, four conductor, #12 cable so th at the impedance between them would cause up to a 5 percent voltage drop (depending on the load balance between the two sets). Data was collected from both Capstone microturbines, two power quality instruments and a power monitor. The tests showed there were no instabilities in the microturbines' voltage or power output as long as care was taken not to overload either unit. A voltage drop of almost 5 percent was observed between the two microturbines at the highest loadings. This "soft" connection between the two microturbines did not cause problems. Basic protective functions of the microturbines avoided unintentional islanded operation, but probably would not be sufficient or desirable for normal microgrid operations. Some simple automatic load sharing could be accomplished by using the Load Following mode of operation of the microturbine. This ability was demonstrated during the second set of tests. Load sharing works as long as all loads are kept within operating limits of the two microturbines. Use of the load following mode of the microturbine seemed to work fairly well. To improve the responsiveness of the load following, a faster pulse rate would need to be obtained from the kilowatt-hour meter for the expected loads. The faster pulse rate would allow a shorter averaging period in the microturbine which would make it respond more quickly. Revision of the microturbine operating software would be desirable so that both microturbines could share load and voltage regulation duties in the microgrid. Once these abilities were integrated into the microturbines, the functions would need to be verified in a set of lab tests and then checked in actual field operations. Additional protection functions would also need to be integrated into the microgrid so that a fault on the microgrid would not drop all load and generation.

This report describes test measurements of the behavior of two microturbine generators (MTGs) under transient conditions. The tests were conducted under three different operating conditions: grid-connect; stand-alone single MTG with load banks; and two MTGs running in parallel with load banks. Tests were conducted with both the Capstone 30-kW and Honeywell Parallon 75-kW MTGs. All tests were conducted at the Southern California Edison /University of California, Irvine (UCI) test facility. In the grid-connected mode, several test runs were conducted with different set-point changes both up and down and a start up and shutdown were recorded for each MTG. For the stand-alone mode, load changes were initiated by changing load-bank values (both watts and VARs). For the parallel mode, tests involved changes in the load-bank settings as well as changes in the power set point of the MTG running in grid-connect mode. Detailed graphs of the test results are presented. It should be noted that these tests were done using a specific hardware and software configuration. Use of different software and hardware could result in different performance characteristics for the same units.

All those responsible for the preparation of teachers agree that having a highly qualified teacher in every classroom is essential to student academic achievement. The research of the past decade by William Sanders and others clearly demonstrates the significance of the teacher in fostering student growth and academic achievement. What researchers and practitioners are having difficulty agreeing on is the essential characteristics of the teachers who create value-added learning and the ways in which professional development experiences need to be structured in order to foster and develop those critical teacher characteristics. The Ohio Teacher Quality Partnership represents one state's approach to better understand the relationship between teacher behaviors and student achievement and how a wide variety of stakeholders are collaborating to create a more vital educational system for P-12 students.

This paper discusses the ways in which the decline in trust of professionals and public institutions may impact public schools of the future, as they are increasingly seen as government utilities providing educational services. To counter this situation, scholars and citizen activists are experimenting with institutional reform strategies using particular forms of public engagement and deliberation founded on theories of participatory democracy and citizen action. Within this context, a particular vision for the future of the teaching profession can be framed as containing three action components: (1) Education re-chartered as a public good; (2) Teaching re-framed as a professional covenant; and (3) Learning re-cast in its moral, cultural, and human significance.

Uses Andrew Abbott's sociological analysis of the professionalization process and the legal term "jurisdiction" to explore the legitimacy of the teaching profession. Discusses professional jurisdiction, knowledge jurisdiction, and social jurisdiction. Offers recommendations for universities to gain jurisdiction and legitimacy in the education of teachers. (PKP)

The Urban Network for the Improvement of Teacher Education emphasizes that teachers must be specifically prepared for teaching in urban settings and must understand that urban education is very unique. It views urban education as a component of complex communities, highlighting four areas for reform: the culture of colleges, instructional quality, programs for preparing teachers for urban contexts, and working relationships with elementary and secondary schools. (SM)

The central component of the University of Cincinnati's teacher education restructuring involved development of a pattern language based on research in architectural redesign. The language identifies areas of knowledge necessary for teaching and specifies the processes and structures for achieving goals. It allows incorporation of goals and values across disciplines. (SM)

Results are reported from an analysis of institutional reform efforts of 50 teacher education institutions. Six types of reform are discussed: new connections with arts and sciences faculty, teacher and school collaborations, professional development schools, internships, professional studies, and new organizational partnerships. (IAH)

A continuous-time dynamic model of a network of wind turbines (induction generators) and capacitors connected to a distant bus is developed and implemented in Matlab code in order to study the stability properties of the system. One particular configuration and parameters of the network were provided by Southern California Edison to represent a local wind farm, where voltage instability had been observed and methods to prevent it were being considered. The mathematical model consists of a system of ordinary differential equations and algebraic relations. The implementation provides an efficient method for simulating the model, and bifurcations can be observed which lead to unstable steady states. As an example, the precise role of the compensating capacitors in stability is studied. This model and the associated analytic techniques are prototypical tools which can be used to efficiently determine the causes of voltage instability and its prevention. Index Terms--Induction generator, modeling, power system dynamic stability, stability, stability criteria, turbines, wind power generation.

My sister once told me a story about a husband and wife who drove across the country with their three-year-old son. They figured the kid would get bored, but he [...]

Changes in the teaching and learning process in schools can be brought about if teachers realize the need to be learners themselves. The concept of teacher learning is gaining popularity and efforts are being made to create an environment congenial for teachers to be learners. A study is conducted on the effects of introducing this new concept on the education process in two elementary schools.

The experiences of two social scientists in developing and implementing a teacher inservice program on inquiry skills of teachers are discussed. Problems and successes of the workshop are analyzed. (DF)

Involving children with meaningful occasions such as journal writing may be one way to communicae the importance of writing, not only as a fundamental communication skill but also as a means for personal learning and development. Journal writing focuses on the process rather than the product. (CL)

For educational reform to succeed, the nature of teachers' jobs must be reconceptualized. A balance must be restored between art and technique in teaching. Includes references. (MD)

The current status and condition of theory and method related to research on interactive teaching is examined. Alternative conceptions and methods are offered. (Author/MT)