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Curtovirusspp., a group of widely distributed geminiviruses, are among the most significant plant pathogens in the United States. Beet curly top virus (BCTV), vectored by the beet leafhopper [Circulifer(Neoaliturus)tenellusBaker], causes severe economic losses in crops such as tomatoes, peppers, dry beans, sugar beets, melons, and leafy greens, particularly in the western United States. In New Mexico, chile (Capsicum annuum) is vulnerable, with infected plants exhibiting symptoms such as stunting, chlorotic and curled leaves, misshapen fruits, reduced yields, and plant death. Yield losses can reach up to 50% in some years. Current management strategies, including pesticide applications, provide limited protection, leaving growers with substantial losses. Research indicates beet leafhoppers prefer full sun and avoid shaded areas, suggesting potential for innovative pest management strategies. Agrivoltaic systems (AVSs), which combine photovoltaic (PV) installations with agriculture, increase field shade and could potentially deter crop pests. However, the effect of AVS on pest management and chile crop yields remains underexplored. This study evaluated the impact of AVS shade on chile yield and plant growth, beet leafhopper abundance, and BCTV incidence. In 2023 and 2024, ‘NuMex Odyssey’, a New Mexico type chile cultivar, was grown in PV module–shaded and full sun replications at New Mexico State University’s Leyendecker Plant Science Research Center. PV modules provided shade to plants during the morning hours (0630 to 1330 HR), resulting in an 11% reduction in mean light intensity compared with the full sun replications. Full sun replications had more marketable green yield, while PV shaded replications exhibited significantly lower BCTV-affected fruit in 2024 and beet leafhopper abundance in both 2023 and 2024. These findings suggest that shading can reduce beet leafhopper abundance and BCTV incidence, offering potential benefits for chile cultivation. 

Grid-forming inverters (GFMIs) have been identified as critical assets in ensuring modern power system reliability. Their ability to synthesize an internal voltage reference while emulating synthetic inertia has sparked extensive research. These characteristics have recently piqued interest in their capacity to provide blackstart ancillary services. The blackstart of a bulk power system poses significant challenges, namely the large transients from the energization of unloaded transformers, rotational motor loads, and long transmission cables, which have been effectively studied using conventional synchronous generators (SGs). The concept of an inverter-based resource (IBR)-based blackstart continues to be an open research area necessitating further investigations due to the known limitations of IBRs such as low short-circuit current capabilities. This paper presents a blackstart case study of a bulk power system investigating the performances of a conventional SG to a GFMI when utilizing hard switching methods. The paper qualitatively investigates the transient inrush currents from the transformer and rotational load energization sequences. Additional examinations into the significance of the GFMI’s current-limiting schemes and voltage control loop compensator gains are presented. Furthermore, the harmonic distortions from the transformer energization sequence are also evaluated. Finally, a full network energization case is presented to demonstrate how both sources can provide blackstart provisioning services. The models are developed in EMTDC/PSCAD using real-world transmission planning data. 

Abstract A distribution transformer's thermal operating conditions can impose a limitation on the Hosting Capacity (HC) of an electrical distribution feeder for PV interconnections in the feeder's low‐voltage network. This is undesirable as it curtails PV interconnection of both residential and commercial customers in the secondary networks at a time when there are record numbers of interconnection requests by utilities' customers. The authors analyse the limitations on HC due to transformer loading and degradation considerations. Then, the paper proposes a battery energy storage system (BESS) dispatch strategy that will mitigate the limitation on distribution feeder HC by distribution transformers. Three scenarios of HC were simulated for a test network—HC evaluation without restrictions by the distribution transformer (scenario 1), HC evaluation with restrictions by the distribution transformer (scenario 2), and HC evaluation without restriction by the distribution transformer, and with the implementation of the proposed BESS mitigation strategy (scenario 3). Simulation results show that transformer lifetime is depleted to about 6% of expected lifetime for unrestricted HC in scenario 1. Curtailing the HC by 32% in scenario 2 improves the lifetime to 149% of expected lifetime. Implementing the proposed BESS in scenario 3 improves the transformer lifetime to 127% and increases the HC by 62% above the curtailed value in scenario 2, and by 10% above the original HC in scenario 1. The BESS strategy implementation produced cost savings of 49% and 27% of the transformer cost in scenarios 2 and 3, respectively, due to deferred transformer replacement. Conversely, there is a 1600% replacement cost incurred in scenario 1, which underscores the need for a mitigation strategy. The proposed BESS strategy does not only improve the HC of a distribution feeder but also increases a distribution transformer's lifetime leading to replacement cost savings. 

This paper presents a simulation and respective analysis of traveling waves from a 5-bus distribution system connected to a grid-forming inverter (GFMI). The goal is to analyze the numerical differences in traveling waves if a GFMI is used in place of a traditional generator. The paper introduces the topic of traveling waves and their use in distribution systems for fault clearing. Then it introduces a Simulink design of said 5-bus system around which this paper is centered. The system is subject to various simulation tests of which the results and design are explained further in the paper to discuss if and how exactly inverters affect traveling waves and how different design choices for the system can impact these waves. Finally, a consideration is made for what these traveling waves represent in a practical environment and how to properly address them using the information derived in this study.