CAREER: Towards Enhanced Grid Robustness: Augmenting Grid-Regulating Capabilities Through Discrete Controls on Emerging Power Technologies

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This NSF CAREER project aims to improve power system performance and its ability to uptake increased penetration of renewable energy. This project will bring transformative change by enhancing grid robustness through activating a large number of control actuators that would otherwise offer very limited control capabilities. This will be achieved by designing innovative discrete control mechanisms in emerging technologies such as energy storage systems, solar power generation, and wind turbines. The intellectual merits of the project include advancing knowledge in the field of system dynamics, and a holistic approach that can handle the constraints and characteristics of very large-scale systems such as the electric power grid. As broader impacts, this project will provide insights into related problems from other fields where discrete control is applicable. In addition, this project will benefit society with a more reliable power grid with fewer blackouts, and facilitate environmentally friendly power production leading to fewer public health problems caused by local pollution from fossil fuel power plants.The project will develop a framework that extends knowledge of continuous and discrete power grid controls. Actuation design on emerging power technologies to achieve a fast response, and tests on both hardware and simulation-based testbeds are considered. Discrete logics have been explored before for power grid control, but using several simplifying assumptions such as single inter-area oscillation mode, system aggregation on both of the oscillation ends, and a unique controllable component located right on the oscillation path. This project will reexamine this problem from a new perspective and will develop a new theory that connects power system oscillatory behavior with momentary shifting of equilibrium points when discrete power changes are enforced at controllable components. Topics of study will include large-scale dynamic systems, multiple oscillation modes, multiple controllable components, and adaptation to disturbances, all geared towards enhancing power system stability for increased penetration of renewable energy. An integrated educational plan will leverage the research through specific projects for undergraduate and pre-college students and through mentoring programs for Hispanic Americans to support their pursuit for professional or academic careers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.