HKIAS Distinguished Lecture Series on Electronics and Photonics By Prof. Michael Chi Kong Tse

Professor Michael Chi Kong Tse, the Chair Professor of the Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU), presented an online talk as part of the Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS) Distinguished Lecture Series on Electronics and Photonics on 12 April 2022, titled " Challenges of Modern Power Grid in the Midst of Deepening Power Electronics Penetration and Increasing Renewable Energy Use". Professor Ron Chen, Chair Professor of the EE, was the moderator. Closed to 300 scholars and students across the world joined the virtual event.

The penetration of power electronics into power generation and distribution systems has deepened in recent years, as prompted by the increasing use of renewable sources. In the talk, Professor Tse discussed the impact of power electronics penetration into power grids and the implications for the stability and robustness of power networks.

According to Professor Tse, the increased use of power electronics for controlling power flows in power systems, interactions of power electronics systems, and conventional synchronous machines' dynamics would inevitably cause stability and robustness concerns. He pointed out the impact of the penetration of power electronics in power systems has been profound and has drawn strict attention from power system engineers.

Subsequently, Professor Tse examined the current progress of research in power systems amidst the extensive deployment of power electronics. He introduced two distinct angles of examination corresponding, namely, bottom-up (local) and top-down (global) views of the grid.

After reviewing the analytical methods, Professor Tse summarized the challenges of power electronics in four main areas, namely, multi-timing, diversified dynamical behavior, defining appropriate measures for robustness assessment, and control design and conflicts.

For the future research direction in power systems, he concluded that by combining the top-down and bottom-up approaches, it is possible to build better models that can incorporate increasing power electronics devices into the grid model, hence providing realistic assessments of the risk and robustness of the grid.

Professor Tse currently is the Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research) at CityU. His research interests cover power electronics, nonlinear systems, and complex network applications. He was the recipient of various international awards, including Prize Paper Awards by IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics in 2001, 2015, and 2017, two Gold Medals at the International Inventions Exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2009 and 2013, a Grand Prize and Gold Medal at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival in 2019.

In addition, he has been appointed to honorary professorship and distinguished fellowship by three universities, including the Chang Jiang Scholar Chair with the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Honorary Professor of Melbourne University, and Distinguished Professor-at-Large with the University of Western Australia.

Besides, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Institution of Engineers Australia.

This lecture is supported in part by the Kwang Hua Educational Foundation.

More information about the lecture, please click here.

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About Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS)

The Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS), which was launched on 22 November 2015, aspires to be an international centre of excellence for the advancement of technology and innovation by bringing together an interdisciplinary team of world-renowned scholars and researchers, including Nobel laureates and academicians, to contribute to the solutions of pressing real-world problems. Conferences, symposiums, workshops, and lectures will be organized to facilitate exchange of ideas among academic communities locally, regionally and internationally.

About the HKIAS Distinguished Lecture Series on Electronics and Photonics

HKIAS Distinguished Lecture Series on Electronics and Photonics is another lecture series of excellence initiated by HKIAS in 2022. This series is committed to showcase the top-notch research and to develop innovative applications at various levels from electronic/photonic materials to devices and systems. The five lectures focus on discussing the latest advances in electronics and photonics for computing systems, covering topics from Nanotechnology and Nano devices, Antenna Design, Photonics, Power Electronics and Systems, Terahertz and Millimeter Waves, Wireless Communications, etc.

For upcoming lectures, please click here.

Provided by Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study