Webinar: Role of the Smart Grid in Facilitating the Integration of Renewables

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Saifur Rahman, Director, Virginia Tech Advanced Research Institute, USA, IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) President 2018-2019, IEEE PES Distinguished Lecturer

Date/Time: Tuesday, July 28, 2020, 6:30 pm – 7:30 p.m. EDT

Admission: Free, but registration is required: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/234594

For more details, please visit: https://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/pes/ottawa

Abstract – With the focus on environmental sustainability and energy security, power system planners are looking at renewable energy as supplements and alternatives. But such generation sources have their own challenges – primarily intermittency. It is expected that the smart grid – due to its inherent communication, sensing and control capabilities – will have the ability to manage the load, storage and generation assets (including renewables) in the power grid to enable a large-scale integration of distributed generation. In a smart grid, information about the state of the grid and its components can be exchanged quickly over long distances and complex networks. It will therefore be possible to have the integration of sustainable energy sources, such as wind, solar, off-shore electricity, etc. for smoother system operation. But in order for this to be possible, the electric utility will have to evolve, and change their ways of operation to become an intelligent provider of these services. This lecture introduces the operational characteristics of renewable energy sources, and various aspects of the smart grid – technology, standards and regulations. It also addresses the interplay among distributed generation, storage and conventional generation to provide an efficient operational strategy in the context of the smart grid.

Webinar: Measurement, Control and Protection in Smart Grid Energy Management Systems for Smart Buildings in a Smart City

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Saifur Rahman, Director, Virginia Tech Advanced Research Institute, USA, IEEE Power & Energy Society President 2018-2019, IEEE PES Distinguished Lecturer

Date/Time: Thursday, July 30, 2020, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm EDT

Admission: Free, but registration is required: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/234586

For more details, please visit: https://www.ieeeottawa.ca/ims

Abstract – Smart grid is a modern electric system with its architecture, communications, sensors, measurements, automation, computing hardware and software for improvement of the efficiency, reliability, flexibility and security. In particular, the smart grid, when fully deployed, will facilitate the (i) increased use of digital information and measurement, control & protection technologies, (ii) deployment and grid-integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), (iii) operation of demand response and energy efficiency programs, and (iv) integration of consumer-owned smart devices and technologies. Different non-linear controls, such as back-stepping control, feedback linearization, model predictive control, and sliding mode control are applied to control DERs, and their grid integration. Another control technique gaining application in the smart grid space is based on multi-agent systems (MAS) which provide autonomy, reactivity and proactivity. As speedy communication facilities, such as fiber-optics, microwave, GSM/GPRS, 4G/5G are becoming the integral parts of the functioning smart grid, the integration of MAS in smart grid applications is becoming simple and feasible. This lecture focuses on the measurement & control issues of the smart grid and how MAS can provide an efficient tool to address such issues. In addition, an overview of the related challenges and opportunities for energy efficient building operation and management with deployment experience in the US will be provided.