THE 8th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ADVANCED TOPICS IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING May 23-25, 2013

Bucharest, Romania

Life in 2030-Brief Presentation from the IEEE Reviews

Claudia Laurenta POPESCU, Member IEEE, Mihai Octavian POPESCU, Member IEEE

University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Faculty of Electrical Engineering claudia.popescu@upb.ro, mihaioctavian.popescu@upb.ro

Abstract- The electrical energy domain is very dynamic. The paper presents o vision for the future at the horizon of 2030 as it is described by an IEEE recent publication. Conclusions suggest some directions of action in order to be in trend.

I. INTRODUCTION

Electrical Energy is a vast technical area, and this paper does not cover all areas in the same depth. The topic Electrical Energy plays an important role in international and national debates on the future energy mix, such as inclusion of renewable instead of using gas fired power plants or use of hot water vs. electricity for heating of building, in correlation with increasing degree of intelligent behavior of electrical equipments. This is very important issues, but in the context of 2030 it is focused more on power technologies and power delivery systems itself.

II. BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY

At the end of the last century the famous Institute EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) from Palo Alto, California presented its vision about future evolution in the field of electro-technologies. [1]. This point of view, completed with other elements [5] was presented under the name "Electricity Technology Roadmap" [6]. The main directions of research and development in the years 2000s are initially indicated to be:

- industrial electro-technologies; - renewable energies; - fuel cells; - urban and industrial ecology; - electric and hybrid cars; - advanced power electronic; - intelligent sensors; - superconductor equipments. Industrial electro-technologies are based on electrical

energy as a processing tool - e.g. electrostatic technologies, electrical discharge machining, electrochemical machining, plasma technologies, and laser machining i.e.

All these are modern, productive and very exact technologies having the possibility to be controlled by informatics devices.

Renewable energies are solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, waves and other energies having and increasing role in the general balance of production and consumption. Using such energies we can prevent the petroleum and carbon reserves exhaustion.

Fuel cell was a very promising direct chemical-electric conversion device under development at this time. The evolution was very good, passing in the faze of industrial use. It is to mention that combustible for fuel cells are from renewable category as methanol, hydrogen i.e.

Urban and industrial ecology technologies are related to collecting and processing urban garbage and industrial waste in order to separate metals and use for thermal energy production. Separation technologies are electrostatic and magnetic ones.

Electric and hybrid cars is a subject of research and development because the reason is do not use petroleum derivative which are very pollutant producing the greenhouse effect. Some official regulations as California’s example encouraged this evolution.

Advanced power electronic is the domain to realize and use new power semiconductor devices and integrated structures, e.g. embedded systems can assure high efficiency, versatile behavior and intelligent functions.

Intelligent sensors are modern sensors having in addition some properties to react at external condition, to be self-corrected and to memorize its behavior in order to improve it. All these are intelligent actions using the artificial intelligence techniques (AI) developed in last year’s.

Superconductor equipments were a very promising direction of research in order to have industrial solutions for high temperature semiconductors; the new electrical machines and transformers are in objective. The achievements are not at the level of expectations. All these subjects were developed intensively in the last decade and many new products are already in the market.

In the same period other think-tank from Norway, leaded by prof. Aarne Nyesveen, having in the team prof. T.Undeland, presented a future chart for the faculty of Information Technology, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering from Oslo.

978-1-4673-5980-1/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE

The starting point was the aforementioned - Electricity Technology Roadmap- elaborated by EPRI in 1999 and completed in 2004 by K.Yaeger [7].

Many ideas are underlined for energy systems developments as: - high interconnected and meshed systems; - multiplication of sources as number - many low power renewable sources; - limitation of lines transfer capacity; - power electronics use for power flow control, inclusion of distributed generation and power conditioning. - digital control in power systems; - new materials and equipments for distributions

The new concept of smart grid is now used for such evolution.

In a short definition: Smart grids = I3 = Information + Interaction + Integration

Information – that means the actual status of the grid and the capacity to communicate in the whole electrical grid. When the indicators concerning production, state of charge of storage systems are well known the control and command decisions can be made optimally. For this, sensors with communication capability must be integrated in the network in a global concept.

Interaction – capacity of control and regulation of the network infrastructure and, in the same time control of distributed generators and consumers.

Individually, big electrical plants can be easy controlled. In the same time many small electrical plants which are de-centralized produces and deliver similar quantities of energy. The modern idea is to associate big plants and a lot of small producers in complex unities (called virtual electrical plants) and to managed all this together with consumers and stocking unities (so called virtual power system).

From the part of consumers, Smart Meters are a very important part of these networks. In the same context so called “smart home” is a new concept; elements of such consumers can interact directly with the smart grid components.

Integration - new points of view in the electrical energy market.

In the actual electrical energy market there are important actors who sell/buy important quantity of energy. Taking into account the multitude of small producers of energy new possibilities of transactions, must be find in order to assure contact between buyers and producers.

Really speaking, new transaction rules must be applied for these much atomized market of energy.

There is to underline that information technology is the support of smart grids and the artificial intelligence the new element having higher additional value.

From the point of view of academia a continuous cooperation with the industry and power system administration appear to be necessary.

III. THE FUTURE HORIZON - 2030

“Life in 2030, Robots that fight fires, cars that drive themselves, clothes that prevent illness—are they the stuff of science fiction? Or are they more likely than we think? “

IEEE last documents present a vision of the realities in the year 2030 in electrical engineering and associated domains [3].

There are six main directions of evolutions nominated below;

- 1. Coexistence of Humans and Robots - 2. Health and Happiness with special textiles - 3. Energy from solar source - 4. Smart grid electrical energy networks - 5. Self driving cars on the way - 6. Impact of nanotechnologies - the invisible- In the following some short commentaries are made

regarding these ideas.

A. Coexistence of Humans and Robots Leonardo da Vinci is considered to be a first designer of a

humanoid robot - two arms, two legs and a head- in the year 1400s. The name robot is from robota - slavian word with the significance of work.

In the year 2030 humanoid robots will cross with human on the street or at home?

The correct answer is no; the robots will be everywhere in the medical and battle field, in the factories replacing humans. In the same time other destinations can be very expensive and use of robots is noneconomic.

Many solutions are attempt to copy biological human structures like bones, muscles, arm and legs movements, walking and dance i.e.

The problems of command, control and coexistence with a colony of robots can be solved by human designers.

B. Health and Happiness with Special Textiles

Some additional functions added to textiles can be very interesting - e.g. possibility to auto-clean or to assure a microclimate (temperature, humidity) or a medical treatment i.e.

As the first new investigations are made with the use of some nanotechnologies in order to assure a high protection against mosquitoes and of course against malaria.

Another application are concerning the absorption of some gases (methane, ozone) or detection of allergens like pollen

The applications in the military field are in the domain of interactive camouflage - materials are changing the color like the environment - green in the jungle and brown in the desert.

New perspectives are offered by the clothes which are self-cleaning.

C. Energy from Solar Space Source

The use of solar panels is well-known, their advantages and disadvantages are in relation with possibility to have some parts shadowed, to have the cycle day-night i.e.

A solar power station in orbit, at 35.000 km above the earth will be all the time in the sun; no other weather problems

exist. The power is produced continuously and can be transmit to the earth by using microwave generator.

There are some problems to transport in orbit a large number of panels and to interconnect them; technically speaking is feasible but expensive.

The solution is profitable only at the large scale, a qualified investor can be found.

D. Smart Grid - the Power Grid in the Future

A smart grid represents a grid having a smart behavior. The high number of distributed sources (many of them being

renewable) in a specified area impose a system of supervision and coordination in relation with consumers.

In some approach the key of the application is the smart energy meter which in a sort of power-informational terminal. In the first place it counts the consumed energy; by supervising the consumer he can start and stop the function of some appliances following a programmed scheme.

In the other approach the home equipments have a smart behavior in accord with intelligent implemented algorithms - so called Smart home.

Figure 1.Smart delivery system scheme [7].

A practical problem is the optimal balance between local

control and centralized one. Finally such network must communicate with others in the

neighborhood in a hierarchy’s architecture. The benefit of such a network is a rational use of energy,

stability of the supply and high quality of the service. In the same time the relations with the whole national grid is essential and must imply communication and correlation problems.

E. Self Driving Cars on the Way

Many attempts are made in order to assist drivers in their actions.

The real challenge is to have a fully automated behavior on the way. Many problems must be solved - e.g. traffic supervision, intersection, maneuvers, i.e.

Another global problem is the control of a large number of fully automated cars in the same area with conventional cars drive by humans.

In the town there are traffic lights, cross roads and parking area all these are very strong restrictions for software to solve the car control. Another difficulty is that all these control must be made in real time.

F. Impact of Nanotechnologies - the Invisible

The nanotechnologies are at the beginning in the real life. The future achievements seem to be very rich in various domains.

New and unseen materials can be obtained by using nanotechnologies. Their special properties must be investigated and promoted for appropriated use.

New applications are waiting in the field of materials, energy conversion, and more effective therapies und other.

In the same time the risk of using nanotechnologies must be investigated, taking in to account that the substances can be harmful.

Are we ready for all this? This is a question for as in the double position as scientists

and as professors.

One of the last issues of Power & energy /4/ seems to have the correct answer: Electrifying Education.

This is a new trend in engineering education, - re-thinking to reinforce electrical subjects in electrical and power engineering.

Many technical universities are in plan to reinforce electrical courses having as subject renewable energies, smart grids, quality of electrical energy, distributed generation i.e.

The new approach is a holistic one; the accent is put on the complex systems having a smart behavior in order to accomplish very different tasks,

As the stakeholders in the electrical engineering domain some subjects must be promoted and sustained e.g.:

- renewable energies; - smart grids; - embedded systems; - computer assisted design of high tech electrical

equipments.

IV. CONCLUSION

As the final conclusion: electrify education! A new wave of electrification is at horizon; the entire new

infrastructure in a modern society is electrical one. Electrical engineers must innovate, research, project, realize and develop new home (smart home), new electrical networks (smart grid), new sources (renewable) new system of

powering electric cars (car plug-in) modern electric vehicles (electric and hybrid cars, trucks and buses, metro and tramway) high speed train, modern airplanes, all other electro-technological equipments and many others power electrical applications.

At the basis of many new products are new and revolutionary materials as, for example, nano-structured, cryogenic and others.

The real challenge: Smart solutions for better life!

REFERENCES [1] Technologies for tomorrow. - EPRI Journal vol 23. (1998) no.1 p. 36-

41. [2] Popescu M.O, Popescu Claudia - Manifest pentru ingineria electrica -

Ed. Printech 2001, Bucuresti. [3] Engineers for the New Millennium: Life in 2030 - IEEE Spectrum

documents of the webinar January 2013 [4] The Power of education - IEEE Power &Energy magazine vol. 11 No.1

pp. 4-6, January 2013. [5] Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI),"Electricity Technology

Roadmap: 2003 Summary and Synthesis", , Doc. no. 1009321, November, 2003.

[6] Yeager. K. E. "Electricity for 21st century: digital electricity for a digital economy", Technology in Society, article in press, 2004.

[7] Yeager Kurt E., Gellings Clark W. - A Bold Vision for T&D -Carnegie Mellon University Conference - Electricity Transmission in Deregulated Markets- 12/15-16/04 2004.

[8] Nysveen A. i.e. - Position Paper on Electric Energy.