Professional Certificate of Competency in Smart Grids

One topic is delivered per contact week.

Read more in the course outline.

Topic 1

Introduction to Smart Grids and Their Market Economics

1. Evolution of smart grids
2. The need of policy and regulation in smart grids
3. Main regulatory issues (utility disincentives, pricing inefficiencies, and cybersecurity and privacy) and challenges in the electricity market
4. Electricity market structure
5. Incentivizing market policy and ancillary services

Topic 2

Infrastructure of Smart Grids

1. Technical challenges of smart grids
2. Composition of the smart grid (Standards adaptation, technical components, technical perspective, conceptual reference model perspective)
3. Pathways for designing smart grids

Topic 3

Smart Transmission/Distribution Grids

1. Distributed management systems
2. SCADA systems and smart grid vision

Topic 4

Applications of Power Electronics and Energy Storage Systems

1. FACTS application in smart grids
2. Distributed energy resources and their applications
3. Energy storage systems
4. Power system reliability with intelligent operation strategies
5. Operation of large-scale battery storage in the energy market

Topic 5

Demand Side Management and AMI

1. Demand side management and response in a smart grid
2. The role of smart metering in smart grids
3. Use case: smart home and building automation

Topic 6

Electric Vehicles (EVs) Integration and Its Grid Impact

1. Intro to electric drive vehicle and the challenges to EV adoption by customers and utility
2. Smart grid technologies for EVs load management
3. EV flexibility in the grid integration
4. Grid support from EVs (vehicle-to-grid, vehicle-to-building, vehicle-to-home etc.)

Topic 7

Measurement and Communication Technologies  

1. Communication technologies and standards for smart grids
2. Multiagent systems (implementation, specification, technique)
3. Internet of things (IoT) and the association with smart grids

Topic 8

Computation Tools for Smart Grid Design and Adaptive Protection

1.  Computational challenges and protection systems under smart grid environment
2. Architecture of smart grid protection systems
3. Smart adaptive protection for microgrids and distribution networks

Topic 9

Interoperability Standards and Software Infrastructure 

1. Type and characteristics of interoperability standards for smart grid
2. Standards development organizations (SDOs) and key interoperability standards
3. Software Architecture in smart grids
4. IT challenges, essential smart grid software platform

Topic 10

Artificial Intelligence in Smart Grids

1. Big data characteristics and application in smart grids
2. Cloud computing implementation in the smart grids
3. Application of machine learning algorithms for performance measurements

Topic 11

Cyber Security in Smart Grids

1. Information security for the smart grid
2. Cyber infrastructure and security of power systems
3. Smart grid cyber-security standards and challenges
4. Security schemes for AMI private networks and public networks

Topic 12

Project and Revision

In the final week, total course contents will be briefly discussed. Students will have an opportunity to review the contents covered so far. Opportunity will be provided for a review of student work, to clarify any outstanding issues, and to work on finalizing the major assessment report.