University of Technology Sydney

42094 Electrical Power and Energy Systems Studio B

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Engineering: Electrical and Data Engineering
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): (42090c Introduction to Sustainable Microgrids AND (42091 Advanced Energy Conversion Systems OR 42092 Advanced Power Electronics))
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.

Description

Due to the global energy transition, electrical power and energy systems are currently experiencing a major transformation, driven by environmental, technical, and economic factors. Conventional generation capacity is being replaced continuously by renewable generator (RG) units in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. RG plants are highly distributed and strongly dependant on changing weather conditions.

This studio develops advanced knowledge and skills necessary for designing, analysing, controlling and operating future energy systems containing a substantial proportion of renewable energy sources (i.e. intermittent and distributed generation), energy storage, and new types of loads such as electric vehicles. The overall aim of this studio is to provide a rich and attractive practice-based learning environment for electrical engineering students to deeply learn and become professionally competent in order to face current and future energy systems challenges. To realise these aims, the studio focuses on the methods of reflective design practice, teamwork, mentoring, and deep learning techniques, including immersion in difficult problems within a complex environment. The studio mainly focuses on distributed large electricity networks, discussing the latest technologies used to modernise such networks and analysing the impact of these technologies on system design, operation, management and maintenance.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Evaluate a simulation model with associated engineering accepted practice to validate technical and economic feasibility. (B.1)
2. Design for sustainable solutions to integrate large-scale renewables into power grids. (C.1)
3. Analyse the impacts of integrating distributed energy resources on the control and operation of existing electrical networks. (D.1)
4. Communicate new technological knowledge in the context of existing industry projects and evaluate possible improvements. (E.1)
5. Reflect on ways effective project management helps to achieve personal and project goals. (F.1)

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

  • Socially Responsible: FEIT graduates identify, engage, and influence stakeholders, and apply expert judgment establishing and managing constraints, conflicts and uncertainties within a hazards and risk framework to define system requirements and interactivity. (B.1)
  • Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design thinking and decision-making methodologies in new contexts or to novel problems, to explore, test, analyse and synthesise complex ideas, theories or concepts. (C.1)
  • Technically Proficient: FEIT graduates apply theoretical, conceptual, software and physical tools and advanced discipline knowledge to research, evaluate and predict future performance of systems characterised by complexity. (D.1)
  • Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating autonomously within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)
  • Reflective: FEIT graduates critically self-review their own and others' performance with a high level of responsibility to improve and practice competently for the benefit of professional practice and society. (F.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies

Students enrolled in the Master of Professional Engineering should note that this subject contributes to the development of the following Engineers Australia Stage 1 competencies:

  • 1.3. In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline.
  • 1.5. Knowledge of engineering design practice and contextual factors impacting the engineering discipline.
  • 2.1. Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering problem solving.
  • 2.2. Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources.
  • 3.2. Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains.
  • 3.5. Orderly management of self, and professional conduct.

Teaching and learning strategies

Studios are product-based subjects, largely conducted in the studio, in collaboration with other students, academic staff and industry mentors. Students do a combination of individual self-directed study and project work as a team.

The stages of the projects are the means by which students learn how to apply their knowledge to what they can achieve. The stages follow the classic engineering paradigm of assess, design and implement.

Each student is required to engage in hands on experimental learning through completion of a design project. Students are strongly suggested to attend the studio sessions where they will form pairs to work together on a chosen solution.

The studio learning environment uses agile methodology where students will need to participate in weekly ‘sprints’ and ‘scrums’. Each pair will emulate a real-life project management team and record their progress on Trello or MS TEAMS.

The scrums are set up to discuss the concerns that present themselves each week; to discuss possible solutions and prioritise as a team, how to proceed during the week. Weekly sprints are scheduled for students to present their progress for that week, to receive peer and tutor feedback and to use this in the following week. The studio learning environment will concentrate on reinforcing fundamental concepts through problem solving, computer simulations and design exercises.

Design Thinking is the methodology used to find desirable solutions for clients; and students will use all 5 stages of the design thinking process to solve the design project problem.

Students will need to engage in online learning modules. Strict processes are explained in the online modules that develop student technical knowledge. These short educational modules introduce the basic material in a modular fashion starting from electricity supply chain fundamentals and working up to power system operation and protection scheme design.

Lecture notes will be available online: face to face lectures are replaced with online modules, reading material and weekly exercises. Students are advised not to depend only on the lecture notes but to work through the prescribed textbooks as well as other published texts on the topic, using the notes as a guideline. The textbooks contain many examples and exercises.

The students are expected to enhance their competency in the course by solving these exercises and to demonstrate their level of understanding through the project, laboratory work and assessment tasks. Students will have the opportunity to raise any doubts and questions in relation to the project, and receive the feedback from the lecturer online and in the studio learning environment.

Laboratories will reinforce fundamental concepts and provide opportunities for verification of power system behaviour from model predictions. In order to bridge the gap between theory and practice and to increase familiarity with the literature, students will be required to attempt a number of computing and experimental assignments based on theory and techniques treated in the online modules, but which require further individual investigation based on the design project.

Laboratories are structured sessions that allow students to put into practice online learning using specialised software. They generally involve prep-work. Students should complete any pre-lab work included in the experiment before coming to the lab. The online modules will direct students more specifically. In the power system lab, students will work in groups of 2-3 on their laboratory tasks. At the beginning of the lab, academic staff will check the pre-lab work and discuss with the entire group the challenges they are facing to receive feedback.

Content (topics)

  • Overview of Power Systems and Distributed Energy Resources
  • Basic models of distributed power systems
  • Control of distributed power systems
  • Active and reactive power control by inverters
  • Issues related to bidirectional power flow on networks: voltage control, system protection
  • Impacts of high-penetration of distributed generation
  • HVDC v’s HVAC networks: offshore and onshore applications
  • Concept of Smart Grids and architecture
  • Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Management
  • Project Planning, Management and Professional Report Writing

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Project Proposal

Intent:

To create a project proposal, define a scope for design project, and negotiate the scope and outcomes with the academic mentor(s).

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1, 2 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

B.1, C.1 and E.1

Type: Project
Groupwork: Group, individually assessed
Weight: 20%
Length:

1000 words

Assessment task 2: Project presentation (project proposal and final outcome)

Intent:

To communicate students’ design project progress and their understanding of distributed power systems, such as basic components, modelling, challenges, opportunities, control, operation and protection.
Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1, 2 and 3

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

B.1, C.1 and D.1

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Group, individually assessed
Weight: 20%
Length:

Each presentation is 10 minutes, followed by a 5 minute question/answer session.

Assessment task 3: Project demonstration (mid semester and final)

Intent:

To demonstrate students’ ability to deliver a product or prototype. Students must demonstrate their capacity to solve problems, create solutions, work in teams, communicate professionally, and manage the timelines.

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1, 2 and 4

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

B.1, C.1 and E.1

Type: Project
Groupwork: Group, group and individually assessed
Weight: 30%
Length:

Each demonstration is 10 minutes, followed by a 5 minute question/answer sessions

Assessment task 4: Final report

Intent:

To demonstrate students’ knowledge, technical approach and understanding of technical results of design projects.
Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs):

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):

B.1, C.1, D.1, E.1 and F.1

Type: Report
Groupwork: Group, individually assessed
Weight: 30%
Length:

4000 words

Minimum requirements

In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.

Required texts

  1. Math H. J. Bollen, Fainan Hassan, Integration of Distributed Generation in the Power System, John Wiley & Sons, 9 Aug 2011, ISBN 0470643374, 9780470643372
  2. Jenkins, N., Ekanayake, J., & Strbac, G. (2010). Distributed generation. Herts, U.K: Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Recommended texts

  1. Chakraborty, S., Simões, M., & Kramer, W. (2013). Power Electronics for Renewable and Distributed Energy Systems A Sourcebook of Topologies, Control and Integration (1st ed. 2013.). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5104-3
  2. Fox, et. al., ‘Wind Power Integration: Connection and System Operational Aspects (Power & Energy)’, IET, ISBN 978-0863414497
  3. Paper: “Loss evaluation of HVAC and HVDC transmission solutions for large offshore wind farms”, N. Barberis Negra, J. Todorovic , T. Ackermann, Electric Power Systems Research 76 (2006) 916–927.
  4. The Smart Grid: Adapting the Power System to New Challenges, Bollen, Math H J, Morgan & Morgan Publishers, 2011

References

https://my.syncplicity.com/share/6edwwitndg1x0bp/Simplified%2014-Generator%20Australian%20Power%20System

Other resources

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/51177-australian-simplified-14-generators-ieee-benchmark