Infrastructure Systems

Smart, Resilient, and Green Energy Systems

Led by Yufei Tang, Ph.D.

PROJECT

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, of which this REU project is a part, focuses on reducing operation and maintenance costs, while increasing energy resilience. The objective of this project is to develop innovative sensing, monitoring, and control algorithms to improve energy system efficiency and resiliency. While in-stream hydrokinetic energy generation will be a focus, multiple renewable energy generation modes (e.g., wave, tidal, offshore wind) will be considered.

The project will significantly advance understanding of critical issues related to next-generation marine renewable energy systems and will create new control and prognostic algorithms to address emerging problems in renewable energy generation and operation. The project will provide a meaningful research experience for two REU participants each summer. The participants will develop engineering skills related to sensory modality, data analytics, control, renewable energy, and electrical power. Both students will focus on monitoring and control algorithm design, leveraging existing testbeds and datasets to support system simulation and experimental analysis.