Keynote Speaker I

Prof. Marco Liserre
Fellow IEEE
Kiel University, Germany

Title: The Smart Transformer providing service to the electric network and addressing the reliability challenges through power routing
Abstract: The increasing penetration of renewable energy systems and charging stations is challenging the distribution grids. The Smart Transformer is a power electronics-based transformer with control and communication functionalities, which can avoid or defer the costly network reinforcement required in both the LV and MV grids. The Smart Transformer allows hybrid and meshed network operation also with variable voltage profile, being able to integrate more effectively storage and offer service to the MV and HV grids (like frequency support). Laboratory experiments through Hardware in the Loop (HIL) and Power HIL with a special grid emulator and a downscaled ST prototype developed at the Chair of Power Electronics of Kiel University will provide insights in the ST operation. The Smart Transformer must be realized with a modular structure to provide scalability and higher availability through fault tolerance and reconfigurability to the secondary substations. The design and control of a complex modular structure could result in efficiency and reliability challenges because of the higher number of components respect to a non-modular one. Power routing allows to exploit the modularity to transform this possible weakness in a point of strength. The basic principle of power routing is loading more those subsystems with longer remaining useful lifetime and loading less those which are nearer to their wear-out, also for better scheduling and even delaying maintenance. Several innovative modulation and control techniques allow the implementation of power routing and graph theory allows a holistic modelling of the Smart Transformer to take efficiency and reliability into consideration in the control. These features are proven showing results of many prototypes also built using SiC devices. The keynote summarizes the main achievement of several excellence and strategic projects, like the EU ERC Consolidator Grant "HEART" or the German governmental Copernicus Initiative "ENSURE", which did result in 125 publications (50 journal ones), 8 IEEE Awards, several industrial cooperation like the LV-Engine project led by Scottish Power, which will test the Smart Transformer in the electrical grid.

Bio: Marco Liserre (S'00-M'02-SM'07-F´13) received the MSc and PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from the Bari Technical University, respectively in 1998 and 2002. He has been Associate Professor at Bari Technical University and from 2012 Professor in reliable power electronics at Aalborg University (Denmark). From 2013 he is Full Professor and he holds the Chair of Power Electronics at Kiel University (Germany). He got offered and declined professorships at the Technical Universities of Ilmenau, Munich and Hamburg. He has published 600 technical papers (1/3 of them in international peer-reviewed journals) and a book. These works have received more than 42000 citations. Marco Liserre is listed in ISI Thomson report “The world’s most influential scientific minds” from 2014.

He is member of IAS, PELS, PES and IES. He has been serving all these societies in different capacities. In PELS he is AdCom member (second mandate), Co-Editor of the IEEE Open Access Journal in Power Electronics, Associate Editor of TPEL and JESTPE, Guest Editor of Several Special Issues of JESTPE, Technical Committee Chairman of the new Committee on Electronic Power Grid Systems and Member of the IEEE Digital Committee, IES-Liaison responsible, eGrid 2021 Workshop Co-chairman. He has received the IES 2009 Early Career Award, the IES 2011 Anthony J. Hornfeck Service Award, the 2014 Dr. Bimal Bose Energy Systems Award, the 2017 IEEE PELS Sustainable Energy Systems Technical Achievement Award, the 2018 IEEE-IES Mittelmann Achievement Award and 6 IEEE Journal Awards.

Keynote Speaker II

Prof. Chris Mi
Fellow IEEE & SAE
San Diego State University, USA

Title: Cost-Effective Integration of Second-Life EV Batteries with Solar PV Systems for Commercial Buildings
Abstract: As a low cost and mature clean energy source, solar PV generation currently has a high penetration rate especially in sunshine-rich states like California. Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are frequently incorporated with PV systems as a standard approach to buffer the volatile nature of the PV output. Household small PV and storage systems are popular products in the market. For commercial buildings, similar technology is also available, but normally featuring large centralized battery stacks and consequently high cost.
Electric vehicles (EVs) started to enjoy a booming market share since the last decade. The number of EVs on roads is enormous and keeps growing rapidly, and so is the quantity of EV batteries. It is estimated that the first huge wave of EV battery retirement in California will hit in 2025, and retired batteries will keep coming thereafter. EV batteries today, almost exclusively lithium-ion based, cost heavily in both production and recycling. Economically dealing with retired EV batteries is an important topic.

Retired EV batteries, though no longer roadworthy, still have considerable capacity for stationary applications where the requirement for energy and power density is not as stringent. As an abundant byproduct from the road, these second-life EV batteries cost much less than new products. Meanwhile, the high cost of (new) batteries in storage systems could be a major discouragement for potential clients, especially small/medium owners. Thus, developing proper technologies to bridge the supply and demand has great significance.
The aim of this research is to validate that using second-life EV batteries in BESS for PV and storage system for small/medium sized commercial buildings will reduce the overall cost over serviceable life compared to using new batteries. To achieve this, we are conducting thorough multi-scale analysis and modeling of the second-life EV battery aging process and building degradation models, accordingly developing optimized energy management strategy considering PV and load profiles, and building customized electrical and control systems for site pilot testing.

Downscaled lab test bench for electrical and control system and battery cycling lab test system are established in San Diego State University (SDSU), and tests are being conducted. Two pilot testing sites, both with existing solar PV systems but different penetration rate, have been selected and the respective BESSs designing processes are ongoing. Through pilot testing, we aim to achieve overall cost reduction and no less than 35% reduction in initial installation cost, and also to establish the supply chain for similar projects in the future.

Bio: Chris Mi is a fellow of IEEE and SAE, Professor and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Director of the US DOE-funded GATE Center for Electric Drive Transportation at San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA. He was previously a professor at the University of Michigan, Dearborn from 2001 to 2015. He received the B.S. and M.S. degrees from Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, all in electrical engineering. Previously he was an Electrical Engineer with General Electric Canada Inc. He was the President and the Chief Technical Officer of 1Power Solutions, Inc. from 2008 to 2011.

His research interests are in electric and hybrid vehicles. He has taught tutorials and seminars on the subject of HEVs/PHEVs for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the IEEE, workshops sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Society of Professional Engineers. He has delivered courses to major automotive OEMs and suppliers, including GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Tyco Electronics, A&D Technology, Johnson Controls, Quantum Technology, Delphi, and the European Ph.D School. He has offered tutorials in many countries, including the U.S., China, Korea, Singapore, Italy, France, and Mexico. He has published more than 300 articles and delivered more than 100 invited talks and keynote speeches and as a panelist in major IEEE and SAE conferences.

Dr. Mi is the recipient of the “Distinguished Teaching Award” and “Distinguished Research Award” of the University of Michigan Dearborn. He is a recipient of the 2007 IEEE Region 4 “Outstanding Engineer Award,” “IEEE Southeastern Michigan Section Outstanding Professional Award.” and the “SAE Environmental Excellence in Transportation (E2T) Award.” He was also a recipient of the National Innovation Award and the Government Special Allowance Award from the China Central Government. He received three Best Paper Awards from IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics and two Power Electronics Prize Letter Awards. In 2019, he received the IEEE Power Electronics Emerging Technology Award.

Dr. Mi was the Chair (2008-2009) and Vice-Chair (2006-2007) of the IEEE Southeastern Michigan Section. Dr. Mi was the General Chair of the 5th IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference held in Dearborn, Michigan, USA on September 6-11, 2009. Dr. Mi was the Area Editor of IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications. He served on the review panel for the NSF, the U.S. Department of Energy (2007–2010), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2010), Hong Kong Research Grants Council, French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (Belgium), and the Danish Research Council. He is the topic chair for the 2011 IEEE International Future Energy Challenge and the General Chair for the 2013 IEEE International Future Energy Challenge. Dr. Chris Mi is a Distinguished Lecturer (DL) of the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society.

He is Guest Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics – Special Issue on WPT, Guest Co-Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Special Issue on WPT, Guest Editor of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics – Special Issue on dynamic wireless power transfer, and steering committee member of the IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference (ITEC- Asian). He is Program Chair or General Chair of a number of international conferences, including Workshop on Wireless Power Transfer (WoW), IEEE International Electric Vehicle Conference (IEVC), and IEEE International Transportation Electrification Conference – Asia-Pacific. He is also the chair of the IEEE Future Direction’s Transportation Electrification Initiative (TEI) e-Learning Committee and developed an e-learning module on wireless power transfer.

 

Keynote Speaker III

Prof. Claudio Cañizares
IEEE Fellow
University of Waterloo, Canada

Title: Energy Storage Systems
Abstract: As the penetration of variable renewable generation increases in power systems, issues such as grid stiffness, larger frequency deviations, and grid stability are becoming more relevant. In this context, Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) are proving to be effective in facilitating the integration of renewable resources, and thus are being widely deployed in both microgrids and large power grids. This talk will review several energy storage technologies, particularly Compress Air Energy Storage (CAES), flywheels, batteries, and thermal energy systems, and their modeling and applications for power systems. An overview will be provided of the work being carried out by Prof. Canizares’ group at the University of Waterloo on all these energy storage systems, focusing on novel models and applications in microgrids and distribution and transmission grids for system stability and control, in particular for frequency regulation.

Bio: Claudio Cañizares is a University Professor and the Hydro One Endowed Chair at the Electrical and Computer Engineering (E&CE) Department, and the Executive Director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy (WISE) at the University of Waterloo, where he has held various academic and administrative positions since 1993 and received the 2021-2022 Awards of Excellence in Graduate Supervision at both the University and Faculty of Engineering levels. He obtained the Electrical Engineer degree from the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (EPN) in Quito-Ecuador in 1984, where he held different academic and administrative positions between 1983 and 1993, and his MSc (1988) and PhD (1991) degrees in Electrical Engineering are from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research activities focus on the study of stability, control, optimization, modeling, simulation, and computational issues in bulk power systems, microgrids, and energy systems in the context of competitive energy markets and smart grids. In these areas, he has led or been an integral part of many grants and contracts from government agencies and private companies worth millions of dollars, and has collaborated with multiple industry and university researchers in Canada and abroad, supervising/co-supervising over 170 research fellows and graduate students. He has authored/co-authored more than 350 publications with over 24,000 citations and a 70+ H-index, including journal and conference papers, technical reports, book chapters, disclosures and patents, and has been invited to deliver keynote speeches, seminars, tutorials, and presentations at many institutions and conferences worldwide. He is the Editor-In-Chief of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (IEEE) Transactions on Smart Grid, the 2022-2023 IEEE Division VII Director of the IEEE and Power & Energy Society (PES) Boards, and a Fellow of the IEEE, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, where he was the Director of the Applied Science and Engineering Division of the Academy of Science from 2017 to 2020, and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. He is also the recipient of the 2017 IEEE PES Outstanding Power Engineering Educator Award, the 2016 IEEE Canada Electric Power Medal, and of multiple IEEE PES Technical Council and Committee awards and recognitions, holding leadership positions in several IEEE-PES Committees, Working Groups, and Task Forces.

Keynote Speaker IV

Prof. Fushuan Wen
IEEE Fellow
Zhejiang University, China

Title: Demand Responses and Management in Power and Integrated Energy Systems
Abstract: The following issues will be addressed in this speech:
1. Brief introduction to demand responses and integrated demand responses
2. Optimal planning of energy hubs with demand side management in an integrated electricity-gas energy system
3. Economic operation of industrial microgrids with multiple kinds of flexible loads
4. Optimal operation of commercial buildings with generalized demand side management
5. A demand side response strategy for large industrial customers considering the uncertainty of renewable energy generation
6. Research problems to be addressed

Bio: F Fushuan Wen has been a full professor in Zhejiang University, China since 1997. He is listed in "Most Cited Chinese Researchers" in six consecutive years from 2015 to 2020 by Elsevier. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Energy Conversion and Economics, the deputy Editor-in-Chief of Automation of Electric Power Systems, and serves as the editor, subject editor and associate editor of several international journals. He has been undertaking various teaching, research and visiting appointments in National University of Singapore, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, University of Hong Kong, South China University of Technology, University of New South Wales in Australia, Queensland University of Technology in Australia, Brunei University of Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Murdoch University in Australia, Tallinn University of Technology, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia, Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society. His research interests include power industry restructuring, power system alarm processing, fault diagnosis and restoration strategies, smart grids and electric vehicles, as well as artificial intelligence applications in power and integrated energy systems. He is a Fellow of IEEE.

 

Invite Speaker I

Prof. Farhad Shania
Murdoch University, Australia

Talk Title: “Recent and Future Research on Microgrid Clusters”
Abstract: Electricity systems around the world are experiencing a radical transition as the consequence of replacing fossil fuels, used for electricity production, by sustainable and cleaner energies. The growing penetration of renewable energies requires smarter techniques capable of handling the uncertainties of these intermittent sources. Along with this change, traditionally centralised power systems are also converting into distributed self-sufficient systems, often referred to as microgrids, that can operate independently. This talk will focus on remote area microgrids as a hot research topic in Australia and Southeast Asia that have hundreds of remote and off-grid towns and communities, and islands. It is expected that remote area microgrids will strongly benefit these remote locations in the forthcoming years. This talk will briefly introduce the progress of research in this field around the world and Australia, and will also discuss some of the technical challenges associated with interconnection of neighbouring microgrids as a key step to improve their survivability in the course of unexpected imbalances between the demand and the available generation from intermittent renewable resources.

Bio: Farhad Shahnia received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, in 2012. He is currently an A/Professor at Murdoch University. Before that, he was a Lecturer at Curtin University (2012-15), a research scholar at QUT (2008-11), and an R&D engineer at the Eastern Azarbayjan Electric Power Distribution Company, Iran (2005-08). He is currently a Fellow member of Engineers Australia, Senior Member of IEEE, and member of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education.
Farhad’s research falls under Distribution networks, Microgrid and Smart grid concepts. He has authored one book and 11 book chapters and 200+ peer-reviewed scholarly articles in international conferences and journals, as well as being an editor of 6 books.
Farhad has won 5 Best Paper Awards in various conferences and has also received the IET Premium Award for the Best Paper published in the IET Generation, Transmission & Distribution journal in 2015. One of his articles was listed under the top-25 most cited articles in the Electric Power System Research Journal in 2015 while one of his 2015 journal articles has been listed under the top-5 most read articles of the Australian Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. He was the recipient of the Postgraduate Research Supervisor Award from Curtin University in 2015 and the Australia-China Young Scientist Exchange Award from the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering in 2016.
Farhad is currently a Subject Editor, Deputy Subject Editor, and Associate Editor of several journals including IEEE Access, IET Generation, Transmission & Distribution, IET Renewable Power Generation, IET Smart Grid, IET Energy Conversion and Economics, and International Transaction on Electrical Energy Systems and has served 35+ conferences in various roles such as General, Technical, Publication, Publicity, Award, Sponsorship, and Special Session Chairs.
Farhad has led the IEEE Western Australia Section as the 2020-2021 Chair, and was the 2019 Founding Chair of the IEEE Western Australia Industrial Electronics Society (IES) Chapter. He is currently the 2021-2022 Secretary of the IES’s Technical Committees on Smart Grids. Email: F.Shahnia@Murdoch.edu.au

 

Invite Speaker II

Assist. Prof. Xiaokang Liu
Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Title: Advanced open-loop phasor detection technologies for enabling high-performance grid-tied VSC control
Abstract: Fast and effective detection of grid phasor (amplitude/phase) is an indispensable condition to enhance the inverter control performance. However, traditional closed-loop solutions usually require a long response time to achieve accurate phase synchronization, especially under non-ideal grid conditions. To address this problem, open-loop phase locking schemes based on the synchronous reference frame have been developed in recent years. These schemes are characterized by remarkable response speed, high accuracy, and easy implementation, as well as the ability to suppress multiple types of disturbances. This talk will focus on the open-loop phasor detection technologies, and introduce the basic principles and latest advances in the relevant research.

Bio: Xiaokang Liu received the Double M.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China, and Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy, in 2016, and the Ph.D. degree (summa cum laude) in electrical engineering from Politecnico di Milano, in 2021.
He is currently an Assistant Professor with the Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano. His research interests are in the field of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), and include the modeling of distributed-parameter circuits, field-to-wire coupling and crosstalk in multi-wire structures, and experimental procedures and setups for EMC testing. He is also interested in the field of power electronics, including renewable energy, power quality, stability analysis, etc.
Dr. Liu is a recipient of the 2021 Richard B. Schulz Best EMC Transactions Paper Award, and the 2021 International Union of Radio Science (URSI) Young Scientist Award. He has served as the Guest Editor for the Chinese Journal of Electrical Engineering, and Electric Engineering.

Invite Speaker III

Assoc. Prof. Sayed Abulanwar
Mansoura University, Egypt

Title: Hybrid AC/DC Microgrids operation and control
Abstract: Microgrids (MGs) powered by hybrid renewable energy resources such as wind turbine generators and photovoltaic arrays are recently attracting extensive attention to reduce carbon footprint, diversify energy supply and resuscitate local economies particularly in developing countries. Hybrid AC/DC MGs combine pros of both AC and DC subgrids and reduce conversion stages thus increasing operation efficacy. Consequently, hybrid MGs are promising recourse for either sub-optimal underprivileged remote communities or even developed load centers that are segregated from main utilities to supply their electricity needs. Besides, steady population growth and ever-increasing load demand prompted proactive policies to secure sustainable and reliable power supply via hybrid AC/DC autonomous MGs whenever grid connection is unavailable or uneconomic. Though, MGs are prone to remarkable voltage and/or frequency deviations owing to climatic vagaries, e.g., solar radiation and wind speed changes; longterm supplementary energy storage systems can efficaciously suppress renewble resources irregularities so that standalone MGs perform as conventional power plants. To tackle rapid power variations and concurrently ensure MG autonomy, hybrid energy storage systems characterized not only by high power density (e.g., supercapacitors SCs) but also high energy density (e.g., hydrogen management scheme HMS) are indispensable. HMS normally includes an electrolyzer that converts surplus power to hydrogen in a storage tank to be later used by fuel cells (FCs) to provide necessary aid during MG insufficiency. Recently, hydrogen gas has emerged as a favorable energy carrier for long-term electrical energy storage. Despite, HMS conversion efficiency is not as efficient as other storage devices such as lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen storage tanks are featured by relatively lower cost of construction and maintenance, easier expansion and lower self-discharge rates, thus are preferable for MG applications.

Bio: Sayed Abulanwar (MIEEE) received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering, Mansoura University, Egypt, in 2005 and 2010, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from Energy Technology Department, Aalborg University, Denmark, in 2016. He is currently an associate professor, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Egypt. He is a Guest Editor, IET Renewable Power Generation. His research includes hybrid AC/DC Microgrids, wind energy conversion systems, HVDC systems, transients in power systems and grid-connected converters.

Speakers in 2023 to be announced soon......