Even the briefest of power outages is enough to reveal just how dependent we are on the reliable flow of energy. But with the addition of renewable energy sources to the grid, our power system has grown even more complex and prone to instability issues.
“My work focuses on how we can mathematically model resources in the power system, such as renewable energy sources, power plants, battery storage devices, and electric vehicles,” says Javad Khazaei, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, and director of the INTEGrated, Resilient, and Intelligent EnergY Systems (INTEGRITY) Laboratory. “And once we have a good model, how can we better control the components of the power system so it’s more robust and resilient.”
It’s a field that’s attracting a lot of students interested in working in renewable energy, and in Khazaei’s lab, they have a unique opportunity to get the type of hands-on experience that gives them a critical edge.
“Back when I was applying for jobs, you didn’t get offers until after you graduated,” says Khazaei. “But a lot of our undergraduate and graduate students have job offers months before graduation.”