Abstract
This paper analyses the effect of new smart grid technologies (SGTs) on the reliability indices typically specified by distribution network operators in low-voltage rural distribution systems. Rural areas generally denoted as 'thinly-populated', are to a large extent neglected in the anticipated transformation of existing networks into the future smart grid. An innovative Monte Carlo simulation technique is refined in this analysis to model the stochastic failure rates of power components over a specific time period, which are then applied to network load flow analysis to assess the quality of supply enhancement of a modelled rural distribution network. The proposed method enables much faster and more refined reliability studies, allowing for larger data sets to capture the inherent uncertainty from the new SGTs. Simulation results providing base case reliability indices, and the addition of SGTs accumulated from models in previous works, provide scenarios used for comparison into SGT-effectiveness.

Abstract
The valuation of whether network operators meet users' expectations in ensuring a continuous supply to their premises is important in determining their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for electricity. Distributed resources such as photovoltaic (PV) systems will dominate future networks, and thus customers' WTP will vary dynamically, both spatially and temporally. Whereas system-wide indices are typically used to assess network performance, there is a requirement to complement these with customer-based indices to accurately quantify the risk of outages to affected and worst-served customers. This paper presents an enhanced Monte Carlo simulation technique, which performs reliability assessment of a typical MV/LV urban distribution network. Two smart grid scenarios considering controllability of PV and energy storage (ES) are designed to improve network performance. Customerbased reliability indices, measuring the frequency and duration of interruptions, and energy not supplied are thoroughly assessed. Results demonstrate the potential of hybrid PV-ES in reducing power supply risk for worst-served customers.

Abstract
Energy storage and demand response (DR) resources, in combination with intermittent renewable generation, are expected to provide domestic customers with the ability to reducing their electricity consumption. This study highlights the role that an intelligent battery control, in combination with solar generation, could play to increase renewable uptake while reducing customers' electricity bills without intruding on people's daily life. The optimal performance of a home energy management system (HEMS) is investigated through a range of interventions, leading to different levels of customer weariness and consumption patterns. Thus, the DR is applied with efficient and specific control of domestic appliances through load shifting and curtailment. Regarding the uncertainty associated with the photovoltaic generation, a chance-constrained (CC) optimal scheduling is considered subject to the operation constraints from each power component in the HEMS. By applying distributionally robust optimisation, the ambiguity set is accurately built for this distributionally robust CC (DRCC) problem without the need for any probability distribution associated with uncertainty. Based on the greatly altered consumption profiles in this study, the proposed DRCC-HEMS is proven to be optimally effective and computationally efficient while considering uncertainty.

Abstract
This paper presents an integrated approach for assessing the impact that distributed energy resources (DERs), including intermittent photovoltaic (PV) generation, might have on the reliability performance of power networks. A test distribution system, based on a typical urban MV and LV networks in the UK, is modelled and used to investigate potential benefits of the local renewable generation, demand-manageable loads and coordinated energy storage. The conventional Monte Carlo method is modified to include time-variation of electricity demand profiles and failure rates of network components. Additionally, a theoretical interruption model is employed to assess more accurately the moment in time when interruptions to electricity customers are likely to occur. Accordingly, the impact of the spatio-temporal variation of DERs on reliability performance is quantified in terms of the effect of network outages. The potential benefits from smart grid functionalities are assessed through both system- and customer-oriented reliability indices, with special attention to energy not supplied to customers, as well as frequency and duration of supply interruptions. The paper also discusses deployment of an intelligent energy management system to control local energy generation-storage-demand resources that can resolve uncertainties in renewable-based generation and ensure highly reliable and continuous supply to all connected customers.

Abstract
Climate change has been a much-commented subject in the last years. The energy sector is a major responsible for this event and one of the most affected by it. Increasing the participation of renewable is a way to mitigate these effects. However, a system with large share of renewables (like Brazil) is more vulnerable to climate phenomena. This article analyzes the implementation of smart grids as a strategy to mitigate and adapt the electricity sector to climate change. Different climate and energy sector scenarios were simulated using a bottom-up approach with an accounting model. The results show that smart grids can help save energy, increase network resilience to natural hazards and reduce operational, maintenance costs and investments in new utilities. It would also allow tariffs diminution because of generation and losses costs reductions.

Abstract
Over time, the electricity price and energy consumption are increasingly growing their weight as prime foundations of the electrical sector, with their analysis and forecasts being targeted as key elements for the stable maintenance of electricity markets. The advent of smart grids is escalating the importance of forecasting because of the expected ubiquitous monitoring and growing complexity of a data-rich ever-changing milieu. So, the increasing data volatility will require forecasting tools able to rapidly readjust to a dynamic environment. The Generalized Regression Neural Network (GRNN) approach is a solution that has recently re-emerged, emphasizing good performance, fast run-times and ease of parameterization. The merging of this model with more conventional methods allows us to obtain more sturdy solutions with shortened training times, when compared to conventional Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Overall, the performance of the GRNN, although slightly inferior to that of the ANN, is suitable, but linked to much lower training times. Ultimately, the GRNN would be a proper solution to blend with the latest smart grids features, which may require much reduced forecasting training times.