The Home of Artificial Intelligence Based Renewable (AIR) Microgrid and Hybrid Power Plant Research Facility and Hybrid Photovoltaic Power Plant.

In the past few years, EPS team led by Dr. Arif Sarwat has been working on many funded projects;

Beta site for NSF - National Science Foundation - Home                                                          U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) | Drought.gov                                             

            NSF                                                                                  DOE                                                                                         FPL                           

The EPSi team research interests include smart grids, electric vehicles, high penetration renewable systems, storage, and battery management systems, grid resiliency, large-scale data analysis, artificial intelligence, advanced metering infrastructure, and smart city infrastructure, and cybersecurity.

The EPSi team has been prolific in publishing their results with multiple best papers and most cited awards (see Publication tab).

The EPSi team is one of the few to receive two grants from NSF on smart cities. EPS supports (Dr. Sarwat as the co-lead) the newly launched Masters in Energy & Cybersecurity education program. The EPS team of students includes 10 Ph.D., 04 Masters, 1 Postdoctoral researcher, more than 20 undergraduate students, and multitudes of volunteers belonging to different colleges at the FIU.

Artificial Intelligence Based Renewable (AIR) Microgrid and Virtual Power Plant

An artificial intelligence-based 3MW/ 9MWh Battery Energy Storage System has been installed at the FIU Engineering Center (EC) which has the flexibility to operate in both islanded and grid-connected modes using a centralized controller. This new capability gives way to the Artificial Intelligence-Based Renewable (AIR) Microgrid and Virtual Power Plant Research Project which is interconnected with the PANDORAS and GENIE student labs.

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Please click here to read more on this. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about the project, please feel free to contact us directly through e-mail or follow this link.

AIR Microgrid and Virtual Power Plant Research Project is funded by FPL/NextEra and leading the effort are Dr. Arif Sarwat (Principle Investigator – PI). FPL team is led by Ms. Stevany Cole (Project Manager). The effort involves many leaders from both organizations (FIU and FPL) that have poured their resources to construct and provide one of the most modern grid services frameworks and learning facilities to the south Florida community.

The North-East corner of FIU Engineering Center (EC) (with a total area of < 26,000 sq. ft.) is being utilized for the installation of the large-scale energy storage (battery) system with the underground conduit of approximately 1800 feet connecting the battery site with the solar PV site. Site construction is being led by Ms. Natalie Chu (Site Manager) from NextEra Energy Resources. (3)

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about the project, please feel free to contact us directly through e-mail or follow this link.

SMART CITY RESEARCH AND INITIATIVE BY EPSi

Through our Smart City research conducted in EPSi lab, our FIU has Smart Connected Buildings leveraging the concept of Microgrid and Hybrid PV Plant mode.

MAJOR RESEARCH LABS FOR EPSi

INDUSTRIES MAINTAINING LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS AND INVESTING IN PANDORAS AND GENIE LABS

EPSi has a long-standing partnership on renewable integration and research with FPL NextEra Energy and takes pride in being their primary research partner. FPL, the largest renewable installer in the world is also becoming America’s largest producer of solar energy among electric companies and further advances affordable, clean and reliable energy for all Floridians. FIU and FPL have joined hands to conduct research on the impact of high penetration RESs in reliability, stability, and other pertinent issues of the distribution network. At the FIU-FPL Solar Research Center, Dr. Sarwat is driving efforts to maximize the benefits from this unique collaborative opportunity. The collaboration with FPL is an investment of the EPSi group in transferring the research efforts into applications for industries and communities.

                  

                                                                                                              FPL-FIU Partnership

ACTIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS AT EPSi

OTHER MAJOR RESEARCHES IN EPSi LAB

Dr. Sarwat’s Transformative and Game-Changing Patents(support from NSF CAREER: 1553494 & 1541108)

 

Dr. Sarwat’s work has resulted in multiple patents and patent filings. The following is a list of major patents recently awarded to the EPSi team.

  • Distributed Renewable Energy Grid Controller 
  • Wireless Power Electronics and Controls
  • Mobile Wireless Power Transfer
  • Electric Power Distribution Interruption Risk Assessment Calculator

Industrial and Federal Labs Partner with Dr. Sarwat

 

Numerous industries have partnered with Dr. Sarwat for his state of art research which has led him to develop game-changing products in advanced technical areas. These entities work closely with Dr. Sarwat to materialize his vision and bring life to the technology he has developed at EPSi.

FPL/Next Era has signed long-term contracts with Dr. Sarwat to work on different technologies.

FPL is the largest power utility company under Next Era Energy, and they serve approximately 10 million people throughout Florida. Their reliable generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy throughout the state keep Florida working and satisfied with high reliability and rapid response to disturbance. The integration of advanced battery systems into their grid is enabling improved solar PV generation adoption into the power grid in Florida, making FPL/NextEra renewable energy leaders.

FPL/ NextEra has funded more than $10M to Dr. Sarwat’s efforts with the industry:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Based Renewable Microgrid System Development: The SISGSR (Storage Integrated Smart Grid Stability and Reliability) is a Project for an AI-based FIU Renewable Smart Microgrid. The facilities of this project will include a Grid-Tied 3MW/12MWh Battery Energy Storage Plant connected with the 1.4 MW PV Power Plant on Campus. FIU Photovoltaics will charge the battery, which will ultimately be used to power the Engineering Center. The Micro-Grid will be capable of Operating in an islanded mode. One of the biggest challenges of this project is the Virtual Inertia Emulation and Frequency Regulation which will be completely controlled by Artificial Intelligence and the whole setup will be capable of working on its own.

  • Energy Power Reliability and Analytics Center(EPRAC) for High Penetration Distributed Renewable Resource Modern Grid System: Renewable energy,  is independently controlled and intermittent in nature. Hence, adopting the smart grid to include renewable generation sources, improving its energy delivery and efficiency, enhancing and maintaining its power reliability and quality, and ensuring power availability with self-healing principles have emerged as the important cornerstones for the future smart grid renewable integration studies.

  • Advanced Research on Integrating Emerging and Existing Systems (ARIES): Many complex systems, both physical and in software, are necessary in monitoring and controlling the power grid for maximum stability and efficiency.  This project focuses on systems on the distribution side (>70kV) of the power grid which powers our homes, streets, and businesses. These are systems such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) – A system which utilities use to collect data from devices on the grid, as well as perform actions such as remotely energizing or re-energizing lines using remote switches.

Dr. Sarwat’s students partake in internships and find employment at Top Labs

NREL: Dr. Sarwat has worked with NREL having graduate students completing internships at the world-leading National Renewable Energy Lab.

ORNL: Dr. Sarwat has attended the Artificial Intelligence town hall meeting at Oak Ridge National Lab, and his Ph.D. graduate Aditya S. now works as full-time research at the lab.

1.4 MW live solar grid at FIU-FPL solar Research center

FPL-FIU Solar Research Center- EPSi received a $7.65 million collaborative project with the FPL as part of which high-end research is conducted on many aspects of large-scale PV integration into the smart grid. As part of this project, a 1.41MW solar PV power plant has been commissioned and is currently live, generating power, at the Engineering Center, since May 2016. Dr. Sarwat serves as the Director for FPL-FIU Solar Research Center. Furthermore, EPSi has access to 3MW distributed solar generation in Daytona. Real-time data of a wide range of parameters including solar irradiance, temperature, wind speed, humidity, and 46 smart PV inverters are continuously being collected and transferred to the Command and Control Center located at the Engineering Center campus under Dr. Sarwat’s supervision.

Top-Notch Companies Hire EPSi Students

 

More than 50 students have graduated under Dr. Sarwat and each graduated student is hired at a top company which includes the likes of National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Applied Physics Laboratory – Johns Hopkins University, Florida Power & Light, WSP USA, GEIRINA, Acuity Brands, and Quest Global. Many EPSi students, including researchers at the undergraduate and graduate levels, perform internships with various industry partners and many join with FPL/NextEra. FPL/NextEra has become FIU college of Engineering’s largest hiring source thanks to Dr. Sarwat.

Research Areas At EPSi

  • Smart Grid
  • Smart City
  • High Penetration Renewable Resilient communities
  • Data Analytics
  • Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Wireless networks.
  • Wireless Cellular and 5G networks
  • Internet of things
  • Critical Infrastructures
  • Cybersecurity
  • Grid Reliability
  • Cyber-Physical Systems
  • Battery Technologies
  • Renewable Microgrid

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OUR RESEARCH TEAM

EPSi is determined to break new grounds in research, education, and power distribution by bringing a wide-ranging approach to the way energy is produced and delivered. EPSi lab is aspiring to bring clean, efficient, reliable, sustainable, and safe energy solutions to its clients.

                                                                                                                                        

Open Post Doc Position at EPSi Lab, FIU

Energy Power & Sustainability-Intelligence (EPSi) group at FIU invites applications for a postdoctoral data-oriented research position in the EPSi lab, FIU. Applicants must have knowledge of machine learning, deep learning, Artificial Intelligence, and big data analysis. Read more here.

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