Power Systems Engineering Research Center

Highlights from the Semi-Annual PSERC Industry-University Meeting

May 29-31, 2013, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Theme: Preparing for the Future Grid

PSERC’s industry-university meeting provided excellent opportunities for information dissemination, discussions, and networking. There were approximately 140 registrants from industry, government and academia (with about 50 students registered). The meeting included:

• tech talks on the highlights from the DOE-funded PSERC Future Grid Initiative on enabling sustainable energy systems (May 29)

• results from industry-funded research projects being completed this year • progress of on-going research projects.

Wednesday, May 29: Tech Talks on Highlights of the PSERC Future Grid Initiative Two dozen tech talks were organized by cross-cutting themes in the Future Grid Initiative work:

• enhancing and monitoring power system stability and operational reliability with diverse generation resources

• controlling and protecting the system with diverse generation, load and storage resources

• designing, planning, and investing in the power system to support sustainable energy systems

• using markets to help integrate renewables. A proceedings was provided to each attendee. It contained six page papers from each of the lead researchers. The entire day was webcasted with up to 90 sites participating at any point in time. Here are links to information from the day of tech talks:

• Session slides and archived webcasts: http://goo.gl/KnUKW • Proceedings: http://goo.gl/kADt6

An evening networking reception provided time for continuing discussions on the day’s presentations. There was also time for “Career Conversations” among students and PSERC industry members. Thursday, May 30: Results from Industry-Funded, PSERC Research Projects After Vijay Vittal, PSERC’s Director, provided an update on PSERC activities, Lauren Azar, Senior Advisor to the U.S. DOE Secretary gave the keynote address. Her topic was “The U.S. Grid: Researchers’ Roles in its Transformation.” Following her presentation, researchers presented the results of their research in the following projects:

• Data Mining to Characterize Signatures of Impending System Events or Performance from PMU Measurements (S-44), Vijay Vittal, Arizona State

• Testing and Validation of Phasor Measurement Based Devices and Algorithms (S-45), Anurag Srivastava, Washington State

• Distribution System Analysis Tools for Studying High Penetration of PV with Grid Support Features (T-44), Raja Ayyanar, Arizona State

• The Next Generation EMS Design (T-45), Mladen Kezunovic, Texas A&M • The Development and Application of a Distribution Class LMP Index

(M-25), Jerry Heydt and Kory Hedman, Arizona State • Quantifying Benefits of Demand Response and Look-ahead Dispatch in Support of Variable

Resources (M-26), Le Xie, Texas A&M • Impact of Bad Data and Cyber Data Attack on Electricity Market Operation (M-27), Lang

Tong, Cornell • Analytical Methods for the Study of Investment Strategies in Compliance with Environmental

Policy Requirements (M-28), Lizhi Wang, Iowa State Afterwards, a poster session was held with faculty and students on on-going PSERC projects as well as projects with the DOE-supported Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERTS). During the poster session, Prof. Chris DeMarco from the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison demonstrated a Thomas Edison 1880 dynamo generator. Then, a number of faculty and students participated in a tour of the Wisconsin Energy Institute, a new bioenergy and microgrid research facility, while PSERC’s industry members attended a closed business meeting.

Friday, May 31: Continuing Research Presentations The final day of presentations included:

• Seamless Bulk Electric Grid Management (S-53G), Santiago Grijalva, Georgia Tech • Setting-less Protection Methods (T-49G), Sakis Meliopoulos, Georgia Tech • Transient Model of Air-Conditioner Compressor Single Phase Induction Motor to examine

Fault Induced Delayed Voltage Recovery, Vijay Vittal, Arizona State • Advanced Optimization Tools for OPF Formulations in Power Markets, Bernard Lesieutre,

Univ. of Wisconsin.

Closed Business Meeting for PSERC Industry Members Topics for discussion at the closed business meeting were:

• Membership succession strategies: Ideas for broadening engagement of employees of member companies were discussed.

• Student relationship building: Interest was expressed in ways to promote power engineering as a career while connecting students with employers. Examples: awards, PSERC internships/co-ops, senior projects, mentoring, and PSERC certificates.

• Reporting of PSERC project status: IAB members suggested that reporting include more information about accomplishments and examples of follow-on development activities.

• Broad impact projects: The IAB members authorized PSERC to solicit proposals for projects that would be more extensive in scope and budget than a regular PSERC project, requiring one-to-one supplemental funding from PSERC members. By looking at specific proposals, the IAB thought it would be better prepared to decide whether such projects are worthwhile.

Meeting presentations and posters are available on the PSERC website. After logging-in,

go to Members>Meetings and Workshops>May 29-31, 2013, UW-Madison.

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Photo Gallery1

Vijay Vittal, PSERC’s Director, gave a PSERC

status report and technical talks.

Lauren Azar, Senior Advisor to the U.S. DOE Secretary gave the keynote address on “The U.S. Grid: Researchers’ Roles in its Transformation.”

Active Q&A occurred during the sessions.

There was time for informal discussions, too.

1 Photos taken by Hugh Schmidt.

At a networking reception, students asked power engineering career questions of industry members.

Students, as well as faculty and industry members,

enjoyed time for casual conversations.

In a poster session, industry members conversed with students and faculty about their projects.

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Prof. Chris DeMarco demonstrated an 1880 Thomas Edison dynamo generator. It worked (see

filaments lighting in the photo to the right)!

A tour was offered of the new microgrid high bay

lab at the Wisconsin Energy Institute facility.

There was plenty of time for networking

over dinner.

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