Prof. Giovanna Oriti of Naval Postgraduate School, CA, US

LECTURE ABSTRACT

Microgrids are crucial, power electronics-based systems for incorporating distributed energy resources like renewables and storage, advancing the clean energy shift. This lecture delves into resilient microgrids, key for improving energy efficiency, reducing fossil fuel use, and reliably powering essential loads in various operational modes. It will discuss their designs, control strategies, and system analyses, along with real-world uses, showcasing their importance across different settings. Additionally, it explores the future of resilient microgrids, including emerging tech integration. This discussion aims to underline their vital role in enhancing the clean energy transition and strengthening global energy infrastructure resilience and reliability. This overview highlights resilient microgrids' technological, operational, and prospective contributions to a sustainable and robust energy future.

Biography:

Personal Statement: 

I am very happy to support the series of seminars on Enabling Technologies for Clean Energy Transition by contributing a lecture on “The Role of Active Microgrids in the Clean Energy Transition”. I am passionate about developing power electronics technology to reduce fossil fuel consumption and to fight climate change, particularly using mini-, micro- and non-grids.  I have recently secured significant research funding and led a multidisciplinary team on resilient microgrid research with the goal to reinforce energy security and to increase efficiency through the integration of renewable energy sources and distributed energy storage. .

Personal details:

I received the Laurea (with Hons.) and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Catania, Italy. I was a Research Intern at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, for two years, then worked in industry, first developing novel power converter topologies at United Technologies Research Center, then as a consultant developing power converter models and controls for shipboard power distribution. In 2008 I joined the faculty of the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), where I am now a tenured Professor. My research interests include electromagnetic interference in power converters, power electronics for energy management, shipboard electrical power, microgrids and renewable energy interface.  For more information and list of publications, please visit http://faculty.nps.edu/oriti/.

Key outputs, contributions, and achievements:

I have contributed to advancing the state of the art in models, analysis, and modulation of power electronic converters to mitigate electromagnetic interference (EMI), with particular focus on shipboard power applications. In the past ten years I have led multidisciplinary efforts to leverage the reconfigurability of shipboard power systems to transfer technologies and control systems to microgrids for mobile military camps and land-based facilities.  My work has been recognized by the Naval Postgraduate School with two ECE research awards and the 2021 Richard W. Hamming Annual Faculty Award for Interdisciplinary Achievement.
I was the recipient of the 2002 IEEE IAS (Industry Applications Society) Outstanding Young Member Award. In IEEE I held several leadership positions including Chair of the IAS Industrial Power Conversion System Department in 2010-2011, lead Technical Program Chair for the Energy Conversion Congress and Expo 2018 (ECCE 2018) conference and General Chair for ECCE 2021. I was recently appointed co-Editor in Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

Email:

Address:1 University Circle, , Monterey, CA, California, United States, 93943