UWasa Courses

Specialization on Smart Grid Solutions

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student is able to understand reasons for power system changes, impact of these changes and need for utilization of flexible resources like battery energy storages to manage the impacts. The student will understand the key role of battery energy storages in the future power system in which more flexibility and controllability will be needed at all voltage levels. In addition, the student will gain strong knowledge about basics of battery technologies their modeling and management and overview of battery storage solutions in Smart Grids, smart homes and hybrid power plants. In addition, the course will cover topics related to electric vehicles effects on Smart Grids and multi-objective management of batteries in future power systems. Course exercise(s) will enable student to obtain in depth understanding related to some relevant battery storage topic.

Contents

Introduction to Smart Grids, Basics of Battery Technologies, Modeling and Management of Battery Energy Storages, Overview of Other Energy Storage Technologies for Smart Grids, Overview of Battery Energy Storage Solutions in Smart Grids, Energy Storages in Microgrids, Battery Storage Solutions for Smart Homes, Hybrid Power Plants with Battery Energy Storages, Electrical Vehicles Effects on Smart Grids, Multi-Objective Management of Battery Energy Storages in Future Power Systems.

An understanding of basics of electrical engineering is recommended.

Learning outcomes

  • This course gives fundamental knowledge about different energy storage technologies, their future markets opportunities and utilization
  • Students will understand different types of battery in detail, their operation principle, chemistries and structure, cell assembling and practical applications
  • Students will understand hydrogen technology, its market and utilization
  • Students will understand energy storage requirements and options, their applications in electric vehicles, vessels and aircrafts

Contents

Introduction to different energy storage technologies (electrochemical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and hydrogen), Batteries (Li-ion/metal/air battery, flow battery, Solid-state battery, other types), Current and future of batteries in road transportation and stationary applications, Hydrogen technology (production, conversion, storage, challenges and safety issues), fuel cells, electrolyzer, and fuel cell electric vehicles (hydrogen-fueled vehicles), hybrid energy storage (battery/supercapacitor/hydrogen,  flywheel and their applications in heavy trucks, ships and marine solutions and electric planes. 

This 5 ECTS course consists of three separate parts/courses:

  1. ‘Battery storages today and in the future’ (2 ECTS)
  2. ‘Hydrogen technologies and economy’ (1 ECTS)
  3. ‘Energy storages and future transportation’ (2 ECTS)

Basic understanding of electrochemistry is recommended.

Learning outcomes

The widespread adoption of distributed generation systems and renewable technologies is a major paradigm shift in energy sector. This course provides the fundamentals of distributed energy generation systems centered around renewable energy sources regarding technologies and modeling techniques. Renewable resources include solar energy, wind, and geothermal energy. The essentials of electrical power systems and distributed generation systems, renewable resource assessment, load demand forecast, and electricity supply markets are introduced. The applied modeling and optimisation methods for distributed energy generation system design are showcased by their application. MATLAB/Simulink is used as a modeling and simulation tool. This course will equip you with the analytical skills and prepare you for either professional or research career futures.

By the end of the course, the student can • understand distributed energy generation systems and how they work in the grid • learn major types of renewable energy generators (e.g. wind turbine, photovoltaic cell, and geothermal energy) • know modeling and simulation principles for distributed energy generators • understand the mechanism of energy storage for load shifting of buildings • explain the concepts of load management, demand response and control • have a holistic overview of microgrid and some aspects of control for distributed energy generators and storage applications under desired targets • formulate and solve simple optimization problems for smart grid • develop analytical ability and mathematical analysis skills

Contents

Electrical power systems and distributed energy generation as well as challenges • Renewable energy generation technologies (wind turbine, solar photovoltaic technology, geothermal energy) and their modeling approaches • Demand response for renewables and storage integration, load and demand control • Distributed energy generators in the marketplace • Modeling and optimisation methods

Basics of electrical engineering and power systems is recommended.

Learning outcomes

After completing this course successfully, student understands what are smart cities and their smart transportation systems, smart energy systems, advanced ICT and data-analytics solutions and the student has knowledge about role of people, technologies, data-analytics, policy, new planning methods and business models related to smart cities and communities as well as understands new businesses and business models in smart cities, transition processes towards smart cities and role of circular and sharing economies in smart cities. In addition, the course will support the development of students’ key skills in the areas of interpersonal, analytical, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

Contents

Course focuses on role of people, technologies, data-analytics, policy, new planning methods and business models in the transition towards smarter and more sustainable cities

  • What are smart cities and how they will transform future urban environments and living, different smart city concepts, potential barriers and challenges for smart cities
  • Role of people in smart cities, data produced by people and related to their behavior planning co-creation and innovation of new areas and services
  • Smart transportation systems for smart cities, electric vehicles, electric busses, electric ships and ferries, smart harbours, charging infrastructure for electric transportation, driverless vehicles, electric aircrafts, sharing economy aspects related to transportation and cars
  • Smart energy systems in smart cities, energy transition to renewables based, sustainable and integrated energy systems with energy storages (electricity, heat, gas), role of local energy communities, energy positive districts, smart buildings and zero energy buildings, smart homes and household energy management systems
  • Smart city infrastructure and technology needs also for smart social services, hospitals and smart factories with smart manufacturing
  • Role of ICT technologies in smart cities, possibilities of future monitoring and control systems with IoT, data-analytics and cloud-computing, air-quality measurements outside and inside in buildings, data and information flows related to different services in smart cities, smart city information systems, challenges related to data ownership, privacy and ethics
  • New businesses and business models in smart cities
  • Role of city governance and leadership, different stakeholders, policy and standards in development and planning of smart cities
  • Smart city examples, ongoing development and pilot projects
  • Transition processes and roadmaps towards smart cities
  • Role of circular and sharing economy in smart cities and communities

Learning outcomes

After completing this course successfully, the student understands drivers for smart grids and can identify impacts of large-scale integration of renewable energy resources (RES) on power systems in transmission and distribution level, has knowledge about distributed energy resources (DER), like generation, energy storages, demand response and electric vehicles, at different voltage levels in smart grids and how flexibility of DER can be controlled actively to support the power system reliable and stable operation locally and system-wide, and the student has basic knowledge about DER units control and management needs during steady-state and fault situations in active networks and microgrids, and has knowledge about dynamics, control, protection of microgrids during different operation modes (grid-connected and islanded), the student is familiar with different grid codes related to DER and smart grids and understands their need as well as effect on active network management and protection during different operation modes, has knowledge about need for increased cooperation between distribution networks and transmission networks in order to enable needed new active and flexible management and operation schemes, student understands power quality and network planning aspects due to large-scale integration of DER in MV and LV distribution networks, has basic knowledge about new service operators (aggregators, flexibility operators) and new market and business models of future active network concepts (like microgrids and virtual power plants, VPPs) which are based on active utilization of DER, understands the increasingly important role of state-estimation, forecasting, data-analytics, resiliency and cybersecurity in smart grids, and the student can apply simulation tools to study the network interconnection and control effects of DER during different situations. Course develops lifelong learning and interpersonal skills.

Contents

Impact of RES on power systems, active control potential of DER, microgrids and VPPs, effect of DER and low / variable inertia on dynamics, islanding detection, protection and active network management (ANM) of smart grids and microgrids during normal and islanded operation, grid code requirements and their effects on islanding detection/protection/ANM, increased cooperation between distribution and transmission network operators (DSOs and TSO), planning of future smart grids based on active utilization of DER and different type of subsystems (microgrids and local energy communities), role of household prosumers and energy communities in flexibility services provision, smart grid & microgrid management architectures, ICT solutions, standards and technologies, state-estimation, forecasting, data-analytics, resiliency and cybersecurity in smart grids, HIL & system level simulations.

Basic knowledge about electricity distribution network and power system components, control & protection, are recommended.

Learning outcomes

This course gives a basic knowledge on power electronics, power systems simulation, digital twins, fuzzy logic, neural networks, and deep learning, for advanced power systems, smart-grid technology, aiming the analysis and design of smarter power systems integrated with renewable energy sources This course builds knowledge about electric circuits modeling and analysis, control of dc/dc converters and inverters, energy conversion and power electronics. Students will apply computational methods for simulation of energy systems and power electronics engineering problems.

Contents

Review of electric circuits and power computation, Overview of semiconductor switches, Single / Three-phase uncontrolled rectifiers, Single / Three-phase controlled rectifiers, AC voltage controllers, DC/DC converters, Introduction to Inverters, Models for PV and Wind Energy Systems, Control Systems for Grid Connected Renewable Energy Sources with Battery Storage

An understanding of basics of electrical engineering is recommended.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course the student will be able to:

describe energy sources (primary and secondary) as well as the energy process (generation, transmission, services, and consumption); the operation of the electricity systems from a technical point of view, comparing energy sources, and especially renewable energy technologies as well as taking into account different aspects of sustainable development, and

identify business and future opportunities in the energy sector. The course develops oral and written expression (team tasks) and lifelong learning (Moodle exercises and quizzes), problem-solving and decision-making skills (energy comparisons, responsibility, economics), and product development and marketing skills (energy markets and business).

Contents

Basic electrical and energy physics; electricity generation, electricity networks, and electrical equipment in embedded systems; renewable and clean energy sources; flexible and decentralized power generation and energy storage; energy consumption in Finland and in the world; the environmental impact of energy production; concepts and promotion of sustainable development; energy business.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students should have a holistic understanding of different issues related to project management. Firstly, students should have knowledge about the nature of projects and how projects can be organized.Secondly, students should have knowledge about the process of project management, which ranges from planning,implementing and controlling to evaluating. During the course, students will learn about different tools of managing projects. After the course you should also have knowledge about stakeholder management, including the project manager and the project team. The course will also support the development of students’ interpersonal skills as they are cooperating in multicultural teams. The course will also develop student’s oral and written skills in English as they will write individual assignments and work in teams. Moreover the course will facilitate critical and analytical thinking, as well as IT-skills related to project management.

Contents

Topics that will be covered during the course are among others: 1) The nature of projects, including defining projects and project management 2) The actors in projects, which includes the project manager, the project team and stakeholder management, 3) Project planning and scheduling, including both waterfall and agile methods 4) Managing cost and quality in projects, and 5) Project integration and scope management and project management software.