Plenary Lecture: A Technology Roadmap to Achieve Climate Resilience

Abstract: This lecture explains what carbonization is, addresses its causes and impacts. It then offers technological solutions to reduce CO2 emissions from the electric power sector which is responsible over 30% of global Carbon emissions. In order to address the reduction of carbon emissions from the electric power sector, a collaborative approach between the industrialized nation states and emerging economies is necessary. This will involve a portfolio of solutions with low-carbon generation from wind, solar, hydro and nuclear, storage, cross-border power transfer and advanced technology focusing on energy efficiency. This talk also discusses the IEEE Climate Change program and related activities.

Biography: Professor Saifur Rahman is the founding director of the Advanced Research Institute at Virginia Tech, USA where he is the Joseph R. Loring professor of electrical and computer engineering. He is a Life Fellow of the IEEE and an IEEE Millennium Medal winner. He was the 2023 IEEE President & CEO. He was the President of the IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) for 2018 and 2019. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the IEEE Electrification Magazine and the IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy. He has published over 160 journal papers and has made over seven hundred conference and invited presentations. He is a distinguished lecturer for the IEEE Power & Energy Society and has lectured on renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart grid, energy internet, blockchain, IoT sensor integration, etc. in over 30 countries. He served as the chair of the US National Science Foundation Advisory Committee for International Science and Engineering from 2010 to 2013. He has led several research projects for Duke Energy, Tokyo Electric Power Company, the US National Science Foundation, the US Department of Defense, the US Department of Energy and the State of Virginia. He has a PhD in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech. (Read More)

Keynote Lecture: Grid Digitalization and Sustainable Electricity

Abstract:Grid digitalization refers to the integration of ICT and data analytic technologies into the power grid to enhance its efficiency, reliability, security, electricity affordability and sustainability while enabling new services, skills, and customer empowerment. However, it poses significant challenges, such as data privacy, cybersecurity, interoperability, regulation, governance, and social acceptance.
     Sustainable electricity sources like solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy help decrease greenhouse gas emissions, mitigating climate change and reducing air pollution. Cleaner energy sources lead to better air quality, which can reduce health problems and create a better liveable environment. They can meet our current energy needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
     Since the Paris Agreement of Climate Change has become a global attention, countries have deployed more renewable energy to meet their carbon emission targets. The penetration of renewable energy causes voltage and frequency instability. To enable more penetration of renewable energy into the grid while maintaining grid stability, a balancing mechanism via energy storage needs to be in place.
     Meanwhile, the liberalization of the electricity supply industry benefits both large business and small household consumers. Consumers are given more choices through competitive pricing and innovative offers. Environmentally conscious consumers can now opt for plans with solar/wind power.
      A rapid growth in deployment of renewable-based distribution generators in residential buildings converts residential consumers into prosumers. The surplus energy of prosumers can be shared with their neighbors and/or sold to the upstream grid. Conversely, energy shortage can be bought from the neighbors and/or upstream grid. Smart energy management services and decision support tools are needed to enable the prosumers to make sound transaction decisions while negotiating with other actors/peers in the distribution energy market. The same platform can facilitate EV charging and participation of demand response management.

Biography: Hoay Beng GOOI received his PhD degree from The Ohio State University, Columbus. He was Assistant Professor with Lafayette College, Easton and Senior Engineer/Team Leader with EMPROS (now Siemens), Minneapolis, where he was responsible for the design, testing and coordination of domestic and international energy management system projects. In 1991, he joined School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore as Senior Lecturer and later promoted to Associate Professor. He was Deputy Head of Power Engineering Division, EEE, NTU, Chairman of Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (Electrical) Sub-Committee for Professional Engineers Board Singapore, and Co-Director, Singapore Power (SP) Group-NTU Joint Lab. He served in EE Standards Committee of Singapore Standards Council and was Editor of IEEE Transactions on Power Systems and Editor of IEEE Power Engineering Letters. In 2021, he won Outstanding Associate Editor Award, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems. He taught Energy Management System courses for Power System Control Centre in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. His project team won the award from the 2023 Carbon Emission Reduction contest organized by OPAL-RT, https://www.opal-rt.com/co2-reduction-rt23/.
     He is a Life Fellow of IEEE, a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania, USA and Singapore, a member of Energy Technical Committee, Institution of Engineers Singapore, and an IEEE IES Distinguished Lecturer. He serves in Editorial Board of IEEE Access. He is a faculty member of School of EEE, NTU and an independent microgrid consultant in Singapore. His current research interests include energy transition, renewable energy resources, peer-to-peer energy trading, and digitalizing energy.