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THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED: ESE Fall Seminar – “A changing grid powered by the new generations of power conversion, control, and energy management”
November 21 at 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
The electric grid is undergoing a transformative paradigm shift, driven by sweeping changes in generation, demand, and energy storage. By 2035, solar PV alone is expected to supply 40% of U.S. electricity, with substantial additional contributions from wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric sources—creating a renewable-dominant energy landscape. Meanwhile, electricity demand is accelerating due to rapid growth in electric vehicle (EV) charging, data centers, industrial manufacturing, and universal electrification across sectors. By 2050, EV charging is anticipated to represent 23% of the nation’s electricity demand. Energy storage system installations are also expanding to manage the variability of renewable sources, support dynamic loads, and ensure grid stability.
This seminar will discuss the pivotal role of high power, high voltage, and high frequency power converters in creating a flexible, efficient, and resilient grid. We will examine integration challenges for 15kV-class converters within the AC grid, as well as the opportunities these converters present for real-time voltage stabilization, frequency regulation, and dynamic grid management. High-bandwidth converters are key enablers of a smart, adaptable grid, facilitating higher renewable penetration, dynamic load management, and enhanced compatibility with energy storage. A few projects on grid-connected power electronics will highlight how these advancements can drive the evolution of a robust and versatile grid architecture to meet the demands of a power electronics-driven energy future.
Adel Nasiri
Thomas Gregory Endowed Professor in Electrical Engineering, University of South Carolina
Adel Nasiri, Ph.D., IEEE Fellow, is a recognized leader in high-power electronics, grid resiliency, renewable energy, and energy storage, with over 25 years in academia and industry. He is the Thomas Gregory Endowed Professor in Electrical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, where he focuses on high-power converters, grid resiliency, energy storage, and microgrids.
Previously, Dr. Nasiri held key roles at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), including Interim Executive Director of the Connected Systems Institute (CSI), Director of the Center for Sustainable Electrical Energy, and site director for the NSF Center on Grid-connected Advanced Power Electronic Systems (GRAPES). He has published extensively in top journals and conferences, co-authored two books, and holds nine patent disclosures.
Dr. Nasiri is the past chair of IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) Committee on renewable and sustainable energy conversion. He is also an Editor of Power Components and Systems, and Associate Editor of the International Journal of Power Electronics and was an Editor of IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid (2013-2019) and paper review chair for IAS (2018-2019). He was the general Chair of 2012 IEEE Symposium on Sensorless Electric Drives, 2014 International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Applications (ICRERA 2014), and 2014 IEEE Power Electronics and Machines for Wind and Water Applications (PEMWA 2014).