Series of technical talks were organized by the IESL Vadakkin Chapter in collaboration with Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Jaffna and Jaffna Managers Forum on 21st December 2016. Abstract of the talks and brief biography of the resource persons are listed below:
TALK 1: FUTURE OF POWER SYSTEMS
Abstract: Modernization of power grid has gained momentum around the world. Even though the objectives differ from region to region, the two features that are common in this process are control and communication. This has resulted in increased focus on sensors, automated switches and efficient communication infrastructure. Sensors such as phasor measurement units have better accuracy and higher sampling rate. This talk focuses on introducing the new applications, their challenges and some solutions. Electric vehicle charging and distributed renewable generation would be taken as two example cases.
Biography of Dr. Visvakumar Aravinthan: Visvakumar Aravinthan received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Wichita State University in 2010. Currently he is an assistant professor at Wichita State University. Currently he is serving as the chair of the electric vehicle working group within IEEE-PES renewable technologies subcommittee and the chair of the Task Force on Reliability Consideration in Emerging Cyber-Physical Energy Systems within IEEE-PES Reliability, Risk and Probability Applications Subcommittee. His research interests include power distribution reliability analysis, cyber-power interdependency based applications for distribution and transmission, and distribution system automation and control.
TALK 2: SMART GRID TECHNOLOGIES
Abstract: The smart electric power grid will evolve into a very complex adaptive and reconfigurable system under semi-autonomous distributed control. Its spatial and temporal complexity, nonconvexity, non-linearity, non-stationarity, variability and uncertainties exceed the characteristics found in today’s traditional power system. The distributed integration of intermittent sources of energy and energy storage in a smart grid further adds complexity and challenges to its modeling, control and optimization. Innovative technologies are needed for a smart grid to handle the growing complexity, stochastic bidirectional optimal power flows, and maximization of penetration of renewable energy and utilization of available energy storage. Smart grids, large and micro, will need to be monitored continuously to maintain stability, security, reliability and efficiency under normal and abnormal operating conditions and disturbances. A combination of capabilities for forecasting, predictive state estimation, dynamic power flow, system optimization, and solution practicability verification and validation will be necessary. The optimization and control systems for a smart grid environment will require dynamic information and computational capabilities to handle the uncertainties and variability that exist. Intelligent technologies needed for sense-making, situational awareness/intelligence, decisionmaking, control and optimization in a smart grid/micro-grid environment will be presented in this talk.
Biography of Dr. Kumar Venayagamoorthy: G. Kumar Venayagamoorthy is currently the Duke Energy Distinguished Professor of Power Engineering and a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Automotive Engineering with Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA. He is also the Founder and Director of the Real-Time Power and Intelligent Systems Laboratory (http://rtpis.org) with Clemson University. He is an Honorary Professor with the School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu–Natal, Durban, South Africa. Dr. Venayagamoorthy’s interests are in the research, development and innovation of advanced computational methods for smart grid operations, including intelligent sensing and monitoring, power system optimization, stability and control, and signal processing. He has published ~ 500 refereed technical articles. His publications are cited over 11,000 times with a hindex of 55. Dr. Venayagamoorthy has been involved ~ 70 sponsored projects in excess of $10 million. He has received several awards from professional societies and institutions for his contributions to research and professional activities.
Dr. Venayagamoorthy is involved in the leadership and organization of many conferences including the General Chair of the Annual Power System Conference (Clemson, SC, USA) since 2013, and Pioneer and Chair/co-Chair of the IEEE Symposium of Computational Intelligence Applications in Smart Grid (CIASG) since 2011. He is currently the Chair of the IEEE PES Working Group on Intelligent Control Systems, and the Founder and Chair of IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (CIS) Task Force on Smart Grid. Dr. Venayagamoorthy is a Senior Member of the IEEE and International Neural Network Society, and a Fellow of the IET, UK, and the SAIEE. He has served as an Editor/Guest Editor of several IEEE and Elsevier journal.