KBK PES

RESEARCH GROUP IN POWER AND ENERGY SYSTEMS

RESEARCH MEMBERS

FOCUS AND IMPACT

RESEARCHER’S INTERESTS

Power System Stability and Control: Voltage stability, frequency control, and transient stability, Wide-area monitoring systems (WAMS), Flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), and HVDC. Smart Grids: Integration of digital communication, IoT, and automation into electrical grids to improve reliability, efficiency, and real-time monitoring. Deployment of smart meters and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), Two-way communication between utilities and consumers, Demand response, and load management. Cybersecurity for grid data and control systems. AI and Machine Learning in Power Systems:  load forecasting, fault detection, demand response, Load forecasting behaviour, Fault diagnosis, Predictive maintenance, Energy theft detection. Decentralized Energy Management: Control and optimization of energy from distributed sources like rooftop solar, EVs, and home batteries. Power System Optimization and Economics: Optimal power flow (OPF), Unit commitment and economic dispatch, Electricity market design and pricing mechanisms, Game theory in energy trading. Cybersecurity: Ensuring the safety and reliability of digitally connected grid infrastructure. Real-time Monitoring & Control: Using sensors and advanced software for grid health, load balancing, and fault localization. Renewable Energy Integration: Efficient incorporation of solar, wind, hydro, and bioenergy into the grid, Grid integration of wind, solar, and hydro power, Handling intermittency and variability, Forecasting renewable energy production, Hybrid energy systems, Pathways to carbon-neutral power systems, Electrification of transport and heating, Life-cycle assessment (LCA) of energy technologies. Energy Storage Technologies: Development of batteries (e.g., lithium-ion, solid-state, flow batteries) and other systems like pumped hydro or hydrogen storage to manage intermittency. Battery energy storage systems (BESS): design, control, and optimization, Integration of pumped hydro, flywheels, supercapacitors, Storage control strategies for peak shaving and load levelling. Power Electronics & Conversion: Innovations in inverters, converters, and wide bandgap materials (e.g., SiC, GaN) for more efficient energy conversion. Hybrid Energy Systems: Combining multiple sources (e.g., solar + storage + grid) to optimize performance and reliability. Hydrogen & Fuel Cells: Use of green hydrogen and advanced fuel cell technologies for long-duration storage and industrial applications. Decarbonization: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector, Aging infrastructure assessment and replacement strategies, Dynamic line rating, Resilience to extreme weather and cyberattacks, Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, EV charging infrastructure planning, Impact of EVs on load profiles. Decentralization: Empower local energy production and use. Decentralized and Distributed Energy Resources (DERs): Microgrids and nanogrids, Peer-to-peer energy trading, Virtual power plants (VPPs), Integration of prosumers. Digitalization: Enhance grid intelligence through data and automation. Resilience & Reliability: Build robust systems against outages and extreme weather events. Efficiency & Optimization: Improve energy usage and reduce losses across the grid.

Efficient Power Conversion: AC to DC, DC to AC, DC to DC, and AC to AC converters
Improving conversion efficiency to reduce energy loss. Advanced Semiconductor Devices: Silicon Carbide (SiC), Gallium Nitride (GaN), Higher efficiency, smaller size, and better thermal performance compared to traditional silicon. High-Power Density Design: Reducing the size and weight of converters and inverters for mobile and industrial applications. Thermal Management: Advanced cooling and heat dissipation techniques to handle high-power operations. Integration with Renewable Energy: Power converters for solar PV, wind turbines, and energy storage systems. Electric Vehicle (EV) Applications: High-efficiency inverters, onboard chargers, DC-DC converters. Digital Control & Embedded Intelligence: Use of microcontrollers, DSPs, FPGAs for real-time control and optimization, Adaptive control strategies based on load, temperature, and other parameters. Predictive Maintenance: Detect early signs of failure in converters/inverters. Smart Fault Detection: Automatic isolation and reconfiguration after faults. Energy Optimization: Adaptive algorithms to improve power flow and efficiency. Condition Monitoring & Self-Diagnosis: Use of sensors and algorithms to continuously monitor system health. Grid-Friendly Features: Intelligent inverters capable of grid-forming and providing ancillary services (voltage support, frequency regulation). Communication & IoT Integration: Power devices that are part of an IoT ecosystem for remote monitoring and control. Smart Integration with Energy Systems: Power electronics that respond dynamically to energy demands, storage status, and grid signals.

Advanced Digital Control: Implementation of real-time digital control using DSPs, FPGAs, or microcontrollers, Load variations, Grid disturbances, Renewable intermittency. Self-Protection and Fault Diagnosis: Real-time monitoring of temperature, voltage, and current, Intelligent algorithms for Fault prediction, shutdown, or isolation during faults, and Recovery mechanisms. Grid Interaction and Support (Grid-Friendly Converters): Smart converters for grid-tied systems (like solar inverters) offer
Voltage/frequency support, Reactive power compensation, Grid-forming or grid-following modes, Support for smart grid standards. Renewable Energy and Storage Integration: MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) for solar PV, Intelligent power flow management between Solar panels, Batteries, Grid, and loads. IoT and Communication Capabilities: Connectivity via Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Bluetooth, Modbus, CAN, or Ethernet, Remote monitoring, control, and firmware updates. AI and Machine Learning Features: Learning-based models, Load prediction, Efficiency optimization, Predictive maintenance, and Adaptive tuning of control parameters for optimal performance. Energy Efficiency and Power Quality: Harmonic reduction, Power factor correction, Low standby power modes. Modular and Scalable Designs: Modular converters that can scale with demand, Plug-and-play functionality for distributed energy resources.

Demand-Side Energy Optimization: Optimizing how and when energy is used by end-users (homes, industries, etc.). Demand Response (DR): Adjusting energy consumption based on grid conditions or price signals. Load Forecasting: Predicting energy use patterns with AI to optimize supply. Smart Appliances & IoT Devices: Devices that operate during off-peak hours automatically, Energy-Efficient HVAC, Lighting, and Motors. Supply-Side Energy Optimization: Improving efficiency and control on the generation side (e.g., renewables, thermal power). Optimal Generator Dispatching: Minimizing fuel costs or emissions. Renewable Energy Forecasting: Predicting solar/wind availability for efficient scheduling. Hybrid Energy System Optimization: Coordinating sources like solar, diesel, battery, and grid. Energy Storage Optimization: Maximizing the efficiency and lifespan of storage systems like batteries or thermal storage, State-of-Charge (SoC) Management, Charge/Discharge Scheduling based on electricity price and demand, Battery Health Monitoring, Peak Shaving, and Load Shifting. Grid-Level Optimization: Optimizing power flow, stability, and efficiency across transmission and distribution networks. Optimal Power Flow (OPF): Algorithms to minimize transmission losses and generation cost, Dynamic Voltage Regulation, Phase Balancing and Reactive Power Compensation, Smart Grid Analytics using real-time data and AI. AI and Data-Driven Optimization: Using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data to make energy systems smarter, Predictive Maintenance, Real-Time Optimization Algorithms, Energy Consumption Analytics, Reinforcement Learning for Adaptive Control. Building and Industrial Energy Management: Focused on large facilities where optimization yields major energy and cost savings, Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS), Industrial Energy Management (IEM), Process Optimization in Manufacturing, ISO 50001 Implementation (Energy Management Standard). Transportation & Mobility Optimization: Improving energy use in EVs and smart transport infrastructure, EV Routing & Charging Optimization, Energy-efficient driving algorithms, Regenerative Braking Control, Fleet Energy Management. Economic and Environmental Optimization: Ensuring energy use aligns with both economic goals and sustainability targets, Cost-Benefit Analysis of Energy Strategies, Carbon Emission Optimization, Multi-objective Optimization (cost, energy, emissions, reliability).

Focus on Energy Conversion: Energy conversion involves transforming energy from primary sources (like sunlight, wind, or fuels) into usable electrical or mechanical energy. The focus is on maximizing efficiency, reducing losses, and enhancing control. Renewable Energy Conversion: Solar PV Systems – Converting sunlight to DC electricity using photovoltaic cells, Wind Energy Systems – Converting kinetic energy to electricity via wind turbines, Bioenergy – Converting organic materials into heat, power, or fuels. Power Electronics: Inverters – DC to AC conversion for grid compatibility (e.g., solar inverters), Converters – DC-DC, AC-DC, and AC-AC converters for voltage and frequency control, Use of wide-bandgap materials (SiC, GaN) for higher efficiency. Thermal-to-Electric Conversion: Thermoelectric generators, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), Fossil fuel or nuclear steam turbines (with increasing emphasis on efficiency). Hydrogen Conversion Technologies: Electrolysis – Converting electricity to hydrogen (for storage or fuel), Fuel Cells – Converting hydrogen back to electricity. Focus on Energy Storage: Energy storage technologies allow energy to be saved and used later, balancing supply and demand, and supporting intermittent renewables like solar and wind. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): Lithium-Ion Batteries – Dominant for EVs and grid storage, Solid-State Batteries – Improved safety and energy density, Flow Batteries (e.g., Vanadium Redox) – Scalable, long-duration storage, Lead-Acid and Sodium-based Batteries – For specific or legacy applications. Thermal Energy Storage: Molten salt or phase change materials (PCMs) for storing solar heat, District heating systems with centralized thermal storage. Mechanical Energy Storage: Pumped Hydro Storage – Largest-scale grid storage solution, Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES), Flywheels – High power, short-duration storage. Hydrogen as Energy Storage: Excess electricity is used to produce hydrogen via electrolysis. Hydrogen is stored and later used in Fuel cells, Combustion engines, and Industrial processes. Capacitors and Supercapacitors: For rapid charge/discharge in power quality and short-term backup.

Miniaturization and Integration: Development of System-on-Chip (SoC) and Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Integrating sensors, processors, memory, and communication in one chip, Enabling compact and low-power devices for smart energy systems. Low Power Design: Designing circuits and chips that consume minimal energy, critical for battery-operated or remote devices. Techniques include Dynamic voltage scaling, Sleep modes, and Energy harvesting compatibility. Power Management ICs (PMICs): Chips that manage power distribution and regulation in electronic systems, Critical for smartphones, wearables, EVs, and IoT nodes. Microcontrollers and Embedded Systems: Low-power microcontrollers (e.g., ARM Cortex-M series) for Energy metering, Device control in smart homes and grids, and Renewable system management. Sensors and MEMS Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors for Temperature, voltage, current, motion, and pressure are used in grid monitoring, smart meters, and predictive maintenance. Wide Bandgap Semiconductors: Materials like SiC and GaN enable high-efficiency power electronics in compact form, Suitable for high-frequency and high-power applications. Smart Grid Technologies: Two-way communication between utilities and consumers, Real-time monitoring and automation of transmission/distribution, Self-healing and fault-tolerant power networks. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI): Smart meters with remote reading, usage analysis, and dynamic pricing support, Consumer-side energy usage feedback, and control. Integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs): Seamless operation with solar PV, wind, and energy storage, Smart inverters, and microgrid controllers. Intelligent Control and Automation: Use of AI, machine learning, and edge computing for Load forecasting, Fault detection and localization, Voltage and frequency control. Cybersecurity and Communication Protocols: Secure and reliable communication networks, Protection against cyber threats in critical infrastructure. Electric Vehicle (EV) Integration: Smart charging infrastructure, Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capabilities, Load balancing using EV. Energy Management Systems (EMS): Real-time energy flow optimization in Smart homes, Commercial buildings, Industrial plants, Microgrids.

Voltage Stability: Ensuring bus voltages remain within acceptable limits during load changes or disturbances, Reactive power support, Use of voltage regulators, SVCs, STATCOMs, and Grid-forming inverters in weak grids. Frequency Stability: Maintaining system frequency near nominal (50/60 Hz) despite changes in load or generation. Key in high-renewable grids with low inertia, Fast frequency response from batteries/EVs, Synthetic inertia from wind turbines, and Load shedding schemes. Rotor Angle (Transient) Stability: Ability of synchronous generators to maintain synchronism after faults or switching events, Transient stability analysis, Power system stabilizers (PSS), Wide-area monitoring and control. Small-Signal Stability: Stability under small disturbances, Damping control systems, Advanced modeling and simulation tools. Dynamic and Long-Term Stability: Long-term behavior of voltage, frequency, and power flow. Considerations include generator controls, tap changers, and slower system dynamics. Voltage Sags, Swells, and Interruptions: Short-term deviations that can cause malfunctions in sensitive devices, Dynamic Voltage Restorers (DVRs), Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS), and Real-time monitoring and switching. Harmonics: Caused by nonlinear loads like inverters, EV chargers, or industrial drives, Harmonic filters (passive/active), Power conditioning equipment, Standards compliance. Flicker: Visible fluctuations in lighting due to voltage variations. It requires flicker mitigation strategies in industrial and renewable connections. Unbalance: Voltage/ current imbalance in three-phase systems can damage motors and transformers. Balancing techniques, Real-time monitoring, and Corrective switching/load control. Power Factor Correction: Improving power factor to reduce losses and avoid penalties, Use of capacitors or synchronous condensers, Intelligent power factor correction in smart grids. Transient Overvoltages and Surges: Caused by lightning or switching operations. Protection with Surge arresters, Insulation coordination, and Fast-acting circuit breakers.