Tutorial 1: Sizing of DERs (Solar, Wind)

Topic:  Design of Solar PV and Battery Storage Powered Electrical Loads

To tackle the carbon emissions, renewable energy resources are being encouraged worldwide. One of the most common renewable energy is solar PV. It’s integration with the grid needs inverters and battery storage to help address the intermittency of the solar PV. However, it has been a challenge to adopt solar on rooftops due to limited technical workforce to design and install PV. This tutorial will address this issue. It will show how to design a solar PV, battery storage and inverters for various home loads. The tutorial will include real examples and involve audience design the renewable solutions for their homes.

Dr. Irfan Khan
Dr. Irfan Khan is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Marine Engineering Technology with a courtesy joint appointment with the Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M College Station. Before joining TAMU in 2018, he received a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University USA. He is also the director of the Clean And Resilient Energy Systems (CARES) Lab, which focuses on the cyber security, reliability, and sustainability of cyber-physical systems, including electric energy systems, drones, marine vessels, and biomedical systems. Recently, he has been presented with several prestigious awards and honors, such as the 2021 Jim Leonard Outstanding Member Award from IEEE Region 5, the Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowship: Offshore Energy Safety (Track 3) from the National Academies, and the 2021 IEEE Region 5 Director’s Award Technical Conference Co-Chair.

Tutorial 2: Model-free real-time optimization and control in solar and wind systems

Topic: Model-free real-time optimization and control in solar and wind systems

In this presentation, we discuss briefly the powerful theory of extremum-seeking systems. The near-unique Extremum Seeking Control (ESC) systems are known to have the ability to achieve model-free dynamic optimization and control by steering a given dynamical system to the extremum (maximum/minimum) of an objective function that is unknown – expression-wise. ESCs can even tolerate model-free systems. Hence, ESC has been used as a perfect candidate in controlling solar and wind farms to achieve the desired optimization output without knowing expressions for many external parameters/profiles, such as but not limited to the irradiation, aerodynamic/wind effects, etc. However, there are also major challenges that still face ESC applications in wind and solar. In summary, (i) we discuss how ESC systems work as a means for real-time dynamic optimization and control, (ii) how it differs from other standard controls such as PID and MPC, and (iii) challenges and present/future works in this area.

Dr Sameh Eisa, UC Cincinnati
Dr. Eisa grew up in the historical city of Alexandria, Egypt. He obtained his BSc in electrical engineering from the school of engineering at Alexandria University. Due to his early publication record, he was admitted to the applied and industrial mathematics Ph.D program in New Mexico Tech without finishing an MS degree. During his Ph.D, he collaborated with multiple engineering departments to advance his Ph.D research focus on modeling, dynamics, and control. He developed a novel physical-based model that allows for studying numerous aspects of dynamics and control in wind turbines. The new model and characteristics have been cited in the news and observed by major wind turbine manufacturers. After his Ph.D., he joined the mechanical and aerospace engineering department at the University of California, Irvine. He conducted deep investigations of the geometric control theory and higher-order averaging concepts and their applicability to emerging technologies. Dr. Eisa is now an assistant professor at the aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics department at the University of Cincinnati where he is also the principal investigator of the modeling, dynamics, and control lab (MDCL). His current research is mostly focused on nonlinear and unconventional control theory and methods with applications in renewable energies, UAVs, and bio-inspired robotics.

Tutorial 3: EV Charging: Challenges and Opportunities

Topic: Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure and Grid Integration: Challenges and Opportunities

This tutorial aims to provide an overview of the challenges and opportunities related to the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) with the charging infrastructure and the power grid. The tutorial will cover the different types of EV charging technologies, including Level 1, Level 2, and DC fast charging. The tutorial will also discuss the challenges associated with the deployment of charging infrastructure, such as the high cost of installation and the need for standardized charging protocols. Furthermore, the tutorial will address the opportunities that arise from the integration of EVs with the power grid, including the potential for load balancing and grid stability. Finally, the tutorial will explore some of the emerging trends in EV charging technology, such as wireless charging, smart charge management, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems. By the end of the tutorial, participants will have a solid understanding of the EV charging infrastructure and the challenges and opportunities associated with its integration with the power grid.

Dr. Ahmed A S Mohamed, Ph.D., Senior IEEE member
Ahmed Mohamed is currently a Senior Engineering Specialist at Eaton Research Labs, CO, USA, and Adjunct Professor at the EE department at the Colorado School of Mines. Prior to his current position, Ahmed was with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, CO, USA for 4 years, most recently as Senior Research Engineer. Dr. Mohamed received his B.Sc. (2008) and M.Sc. (2012) degrees in EE from Zagazig University (ZU), Egypt, and Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Florida International University (FIU), FL, USA, in 2017. From 2009 to 2013, he was a faculty member at ZU, Egypt. His research focuses on transportation electrification, electric vehicle charging, power electronics, as well as DERs. He holds two U.S. patents, authored five book chapters, and published more than 65 articles in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences. Dr. Mohamed is a Senior IEEE member and serves as the Technical Program Chair for the 2023 IEEE GreenTech conference, an associate editor for the IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, IEEE Transportation Electrification Community Newsletters, and Frontiers in Future Transportation.