FALL 2017
“This is the BEST Time to be in Energy”
Speaker: Rudy Shankar, Ph.D., MBA Director, Energy Systems Engineering Institute Lehigh University
Abstract: Electricity was selected by the National Academy of Engineers as the most important invention of the 20th century. As the prime-mover of the post-industrial society to the digital age, the industry, just in the past decade, is at once been the most innovative bringing renewable resources—electricity from wind, sun and other carbon-free fuels—to the grid, the most difficult to manage diverse resources and the most important commodity to economic well-being and prosperity. Smart grid and an informed customer have further opened new business models to operate industry which has not changed significantly over the past century. Where before the grid was supplied by large central generating resources that required infrequent human attention, the modern grid requires millions of decisions to be made that can only be achieved by grid automation devices. The ESEI mission and vision is to develop a world-class workforce to meet the needs of the power industry. However conventional knowledge delivery through engineering degrees may fall short because of the multidisciplinary needs as well as skill sets to meet the challenges described above. The Energy Institute fills this critical gap and Dr. Shankar will discuss the strategy going forward.
"The Impact of Greenhouse Gasses on Climate in Pennsylvania"
Speaker: Neil Donahue
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"1547 Standards evolution, 1999 to 2015. What are the requirements for interconnecting distributed energy resources with the grid."
Speaker: James M. Daley P.E. IEEE
Abstract: Deregulation of the electric utility industry, opened the grid to access by any generation resource. Legislative incentives encouraging the interconnection of renewable energy sources encourage wide spread interest in interconnection. The absence of any coordinated effort to standardize interconnection requirements was recognized in the mid-1990s. With encouragement from the DOE, IEEE formed industry working groups to surface the issues and provide an organized response to the concerns of the utility system operators, equipment suppliers and regulators. IEEE Std 1547 is the resulting standard. It became obvious that additional effort was needed. As a result, additional standards, guides, and recommended practices evolved. This discussion presents the IEEE 1547 family of documents, the issues that formed them and the continuing efforts to keep them current with the changing landscape of the national electric grid.
"Convergence of innovation and basics in buildings: energy efficiency, renewable energy and much more"
Speaker: Temur Akhmedov, LEED AP, CEM Director of Energy Solutions Warren Energy Engineering, LLC
Abstract: For millennia, humans built structures to meet their needs and to fit into their local environments. Through trial and error, and through studies humankind gained priceless knowledge in managing daylight, humidity, ventilation, earthquakes, pests and more. Over the last 150 years, since the start of the Industrial Revolution, it seems we forgot much of that knowledge. We developed “new knowledge” and new techniques. Now, technological advances and awareness of sustainability concerns brought us to the concepts of net-zero, high performance, green, off-grid and smart buildings. However you call these buildings, they all require a systems thinking, where systems include technologies, so-called passive efficiencies and, to the surprise of many, people occupying those facilities. Technology is exploding with seemingly no end in sight. We are revisiting age-old techniques. We are trying to understand the fundamentals of energy efficiency and energy management within buildings. In this interactive session, we will explore how convergence of rapid innovation and fundamentals of buildings, energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy will shape the future of our buildings. ...and, no, we will not forget building occupants!
"A Cyber-Physical Systems Perspective on Smart Grid Security"
Speaker: Aaron St. Leger, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science United States Military Academy
Abstract: Smart grid technologies are providing a tremendous opportunity to improve operation, reliability, and resiliency of electric power systems. The technologies also enable enhanced customer participation in the power (id to include renewable energy system integration and demand response programs. As the power grid is evolving into a "smarter grid", system operators and customers are implementing advanced measurement and metering, two way communication, and disinbuted computing and control technologies. At a high level, this can be viewed as smart grid applications serving specific roles within the power grid and a supporting infrastructure to enable these applications. A Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) perspective allows for modeling these applications and infrastructure in a cohesive manner. Identifying and studying cyber- physical interactions provides a valuable tool for the design of smart grid applications and analyzing smart grid security. This talk provides a high level overview of CP and on applying CPS concepts to describe and analyze security of smart grids. A number of specific power system applica- tons will be discussed within this framework. Vulnerabilities of these applications, both cyber and physical, will be discussed along with risk as- sessment and mitigation strategies. Lastly, the cyber induced blackout of Ukraine in 2015 will be used as practical example for examining risks threat vectors, and methods of security.
"Advanced Conversion Technology Overview"
Speaker: Eric Weiss Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc.
Advanced conversion technologies are industrial processes that use various feedstocks to generate products such as electricity, chemical intermediates, and liquid fuels. This presentation will review advanced conversion technology concepts and how they can be integrated into industrial energy systems. In addition to reviewing advanced conversion technology concepts, including traditional waste-to-energy, gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion, this presentation will review individual case studies and the markets where technologies are being deployed.
"Can Capacity Markets Be Designed by Democracy?"
Speaker: Kyungjin Yoo Ph.D. candidate, Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State.
Abstract: Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) operate the power grid serving nearly 70% of electricity consumers in the U.S. and make critical policy decisions such as how to adapt to new technology and environmental mandates. Recent failure of the stakeholder process for establishing a resolution suggests tension between FERC’s desire for inclusive decision-making and ensuring reliability that is RTOs’ critical function. We use detailed voting data, focusing on one issue called capacity market, from the PJM stakeholder process to identify pivotal voters and measure their voting power. We observe a strong voting coalition by demand-side interests but not by supply-side interests. In theory, this demand-side coalition can act in a pivotal manner to prevent any rule change from going forward. In the capacity market redesign case in practice, the pivotal or swing participants are more likely a smaller segment of financial market participants, such as hedge funds and banks.
"Entrepreneurship as a Woman Engineer"
Presented By: Jenny Regan CEO Key Tech
Abstract: Hear tales from the life and the engineering business of a successful woman entrepreneur. In today’s tech-driven world, women entrepreneurs are playing an increasingly vital role. Women-led companies have become an important part of the global business environment and recent research has shown that women-led companies succeed at a higher rate than men-led companies. Therefore it’s very important for sustained economic development that women continue to start and grow successful companies. Men and women attendees will benefit from hearing lessons and advice about starting and growing a technology services company, and observations about the many startup technology product companies that have been clients of Key Tech’s. Learn what works.
"Energy in the Developing World"
Speaker: Khanjan Mehta Vice Provost for Creative Inquiry; Director of the Mountaintop Initiative Lehigh University
Abstract: Over 1.5 billion people in the world have no access to electricity and a billion more suffer from unreliable and intermittent supply. While electric grids are expanding at a gradual pace, a wide array of startups and social enterprises are emerging to address energy poverty in developing countries. While some of these ventures succeed, a large number of them fail. What kinds of technological, economic, environmental, social, and political challenges do they encounter? How can we develop innovative, practical, and sustainable solutions to address global energy challenges? This fast-paced and candid talk will employ a series of mini case-studies to provide practical insights on the myriad of challenges to developing sustainable and scalable businesses in developing countries.
SPRING 2018
“PECO Substation SCADA & CIP Engineering”
Speaker: Nathaniel Nichols, EIT, 2012 ESEI Alum General Engineer, PECO
Abstract: The safe and reliable operation of the Bulk Electric System (BES) depends increasingly on the protection of programmable devices that are susceptible to malicious cyber-attacks. In recent events, the power industry has been victimized by cyber-attacks leading FERC and NERC to standardize cyber protection requirements by developing the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards. This presentation will highlight some key events, introduce the CIP standards, and speak to the effect on utilities of CIP version 5 standards. The presentation will also cover the role of Regional Entities in enforcing the standards, discuss approaches to maintaining compliance, and considerations for operational requirements.
"Blockchain Technology in Energy Trading: Opportunities and Challenges"
Speaker: Dr. Kwami Senam Sedzro 2014 ESE Alumni
Abstract: Blockchain technology has garnered huge attention recently due to the rise of cryptocurrencies, and is now being actively considered as a plausible game-changer for transactions in the energy industry. This talk covers existing blockchain applications, and its potential for the energy sector as well as the challenges lying ahead.
“The Future of Lighting”
Speaker: Tarek Jaziri, 2015 ESE Alumni Applications Engineer at Lutron Electronics
Abstract: Lutron Electronics designs and manufactures energy-saving light controls and automated window treatments for residential and commercial applications. Its innovative, intuitive products can be used to control everything from a single light, to every light, shade and even stand-by power in a home or commercial building. Lutron estimates that the installed base of its products saves the nation nearly 10 billion kWh of electricity, or approximately $1 billion in utility costs per year. This presentation will cover the vertical markets Lutron has been engaged with as well as the various lighting control systems Lutron provides.
“Substation Project Life Cycle from the Engineering Perspective”
Speaker: Sean Lerch, 2015 ESE Alumni Supervisor of Testing and Commissioning at PPL Corporation
Abstract: This seminar with follow the life cycle of a transmission substation project from conception to close out with a focus on protection, control and communication. It will first explore what drives a utility to upgrade a substation and how this plan is further developed. It then looks at the type of protection and control systems that should be installed and what are the requirements are to do so. It will dive into the construction sequence that allows a substation to remain energized while it is rebuilt. And lastly it will examine the process of testing and commission a substation and placing the assets into service.
“Commercial Building Energy Efficiency”
Speaker: Daryl Strom, PE, CEM, 2013 ESE Alumni Engineer II, Sustainability Services, NORESCO
Abstract: In 2016 approximately 40% of the Nation’s energy was used in buildings. Therefore, within buildings there are vast opportunities to reduce CO2 emissions, save energy, and save money. This presentation provides some insights on how building systems can be improved to achieve these goals. Additionally, it will cover some of the experiences of an ESE alumni and how they enabled him to land his current position.