Dr. Sukumar

In this presentation, challenges, and opportunities for renewable energy integration into the power grid are discussed. The main renewable energy resources that are considered include photovoltaics, wind farms, and batteries. Then, the main advantages of using grid-connected energy storage with PV farms are illustrated. This includes methods of using energy storage for a) smoothing intermittent PV outputs, b) regulating distribution system voltage, c) supporting energy time shift and, d) supporting frequency regulation. Then control approaches for managing renewable energy resources are illustrated. Finally, real-time, and distributed control of the modern power grid for grid stability and reliability in the presence of renewable energy resources are summarized

Biography:

Dr. Sukumar Kamalasadan is a Duke Energy Distinguished Professor of electric power engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) and the Director of power energy and intelligent systems lab (PEISL) within the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) at UNCC. He received his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toledo, OH in 2004. His research interests include data-driven approaches to power grid modernization, smart grid, microgrid, power system operation and optimization, power system dynamics, stability and control and renewable-energy-based distributed generation. Prof. Kamalasadan’s research for the last  25 years has resulted in tools and methods that have a high-level impact in electric utility modernization with a fleet-wide deployment of his tools that enabled modern grid management and control integrating renewable energy and energy storage. His research work has secured more than $15M with his direct supervision from the US Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Siemens Research, Duke Energy Corporation, Schweitzer Engineering Lab, and several other industries. He is the chief architect of Duke Energy Smart Grid Laboratory at UNCC, a $5M facility.

Prof. Kamalasadan is the past chair of the IEEE Lifelong Learning Subcommittee (LLLSC), and Inaugural Chair of Selection and Quality Control Subcommittee which selects all the webinars and tutorials of IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES). He is a member of PES University Chairs, a group that designs and monitors IEEE PES University. He is also a member of IEEE PES oscillation location taskforce committee, co-chair for subtask under the oscillation location task force, a member of dynamic equivalent systems taskforce, member of working groups in Power System Relaying Commitee, Member of IEEE PES distribution subcommittee and Energy storage and DER interconnection Taskforce. Past chair of IEEE IAS Industrial Automation and Control Committee, Chair of IEEE PES Power and Energy Education Committee, and past chair for IEEE PES Charlotte section. He has organized several seminars and conferences including, North Carolina Smart Grid Forum in 2012, NC Energy Summit in 2014, North American Power Symposium in 2015 and has delivered more than 30 lectures/panels and keynotes in more than 10 countries. He has graduated or advising more than 31 M.S. and 35 Ph.D., level research students. He is the author of more than 300 archival type technical publications including a book (monograph type) and 4 patents.

Dr. Kamalasadan currently serves as Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, and Editor for the Elsevier Electrical Engineering Journal. He has also served as Guest Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the NSF CAREER Award (2008), multiple Best Paper Awards from IEEE (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024), teaching awards and nominations (2004, 2016), and recognition as an IEEE Power & Energy Society Distinguished Lecturer since 2023. Additional accolades include the Struck Gold Award (2023), Distinguished Scholar Professor (2023), Research Excellence Award (2021), and Duke Energy Professorship (2019). He is a Fellow of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Fellow of International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Sciences (AAIS)

Email:

Address:North Carolina, United States