Infrastructure Systems: Smart, Resilient, Energy Systems

Led by Yufei Tang, Ph.D.

This project focuses on the development of new architectures and associated algorithms for monitoring and controlling renewable energy systems and smart power grids. Validation of the new designs will leverage an ocean current turbine-in-the-loop smart grid testbed and a dataset acquired from marine renewable energy generation systems as part of an ongoing collaboration with the Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center. The long-term research plan focuses on reducing operation and maintenance costs, while increasing energy resilience. The intellectual merit of the planned project is in developing innovative sensing, monitoring, and control algorithms to improve energy system efficiency and resiliency. Multiple renewable energy generation modes (e.g., current, wave, tidal, offshore wind) will be considered. The project will advance understanding of critical issues related to next-generation marine renewable energy systems and create new control and prognostic frameworks to address emerging problems in renewable energy generation and operation. The broader impacts of the project lie in the potential to significantly improve the security, efficiency, and sustainability of the nation’s power generation infrastructure. In-stream hydrokinetic electricity production, i.e., production from moving currents without the use of dams, offers the potential for up to 14GW from rivers, 50GW from tides, and 19GW from ocean currents. This combined power potential is equivalent to 18% of total U.S. power production.

Under the leadership of Dr. Tang, the project will provide a research experience for up to two REU participants. The participants will develop engineering skills related to sensing, data analytics, control, renewable energy, and electrical power. Participants will focus on monitoring and control algorithm design, leveraging existing testbeds and datasets to support system simulation and experimental analysis.