Abstract
A decision-making approach based on multi-criteria techniques can help to make the massive deployment of the microgrid concept a viable solution, potentially leading to proper incentive mechanisms for distribution system operators, microgeneration owners and loads. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

Abstract
When customers demand for very short lead-times and for a strict respect of the delivery schedules, it becomes difficult to avoid the existence of relatively large work-in-process buffers. As the buffers will also increase dramatically the production costs, their design (location and capacity) should be carefully analyzed and optimized, a task that becomes rather complex for large production systems. This paper firstly introduces a series of fundamental concepts related to the reliability of production systems. Then, the rationale of an analysis method oriented to this class of systems will be presented, together with its two main components, the modelling framework and the evaluation algorithm. The method allows analysing several issues of the design and operation of the production systems, namely the redundancy of equipment, the layout of the cells and the maintenance policies. To illustrate its practical usefulness and enlighten the kind of results that the method can provide, a numerical example concerning the design of work-in-process buffers of a just-in-time manufacturing system will be presented in the final part of the paper.

Abstract
Exploiting the benefit that one can get from large scale integration of microgeneration (mu G) requires the adoption of different control strategies at different distribution network levels. In that sense, MicroGrid (MG) and Multi MicroGrids (MMG) concepts may be seen as a way to facilitate integration of higher levels of mu G into the system. This paper describes new control and management functionalities used to take profit from the presence of microgeneration and active loads under MG and MMG concepts. MultiCriteria Decision Aid (MCDA) techniques are used to capture decision maker's preferences in evaluating the impact of MG and MMG concepts deployment and help selecting the best development strategy.

Abstract
In open energy markets, the settlement process between distribution operators and traders is made on an hourly (or 15 min) basis, while LV consumers' billing data continues to result from monthly energy bills. In order to reconcile these two different realities, load profiling is used as a means to redistribute the consumed energy of each trader's portfolio by hourly intervals, according to recorded consumption patterns. This paper presents a new clustering approach to derive typical load diagrams that can be used in the process. The algorithm uses real load diagrams obtained in measurement campaigns to define classes (in the billing information space) that maximize the compactness of the diagrams in each class. The methodology was developed in a project with EDP Distribution (the Portuguese distribution system operator) and the result was approved by the Regulatory Authority that adopted the proposed profiles for market use.

Abstract
In the scope of the discussions about microgeneration (and microgrids), the avoided electrical losses are often pointed out as an important value to be credited to those entities. Therefore, methods to assess the impact of microgeneration on losses must be developed in order to support the definition of a suitable regulatory framework for the economic integration of microgeneration on distribution networks. This paper presents an analytical method to quantify the value of avoided losses that microgeneration may produce on LV networks. Intervals of expected avoided losses are used to account for the variation of avoided losses due to the number, size and location of microgenerators, as well as for the kind of load distribution on LV networks.

Abstract
The emergence of microgeneration has recently lead to the concept of microgrid, a network of LV consumers and producers able to export electric energy in some circumstances and also to work in an isolated way in emergency situations. Research on the organization of microgrids, control devices, functionalities and other technical aspects is presently being carried out, in order to establish a consistent technical framework to support the concept. The successful development of the microgrid concept implies the definition of a suitable regulation for its integration on distribution systems. In order to define such a regulation, the identification of costs and benefits that microgrids may bring is a crucial task. Actually, this is the basis fora discussion about the way global costs could be divided among the different agents that benefit from the development of microgrids. Among other aspects, the effect of microgrids on the reliability of the distribution network has been pointed out as an important advantage, due to the ability of isolated operation in emergency situations. This paper identifies the situations where the existence of a microgrid may reduce the interruption rate and duration and thus improve the reliability indices of the distribution network. The relevant expressions necessary to quantify the reliability are presented. An illustrative example is included, where the global influence of the microgrid in the reliability is commented.