Grid Forming Inverters - PDE1003

This course is one of our new "Grid Integration of Renewables" short course series, which will be delivered by the expert team of Monash University researchers. This course primarily focuses on grid forming inverters (GFMI) that have been hailed as a game changer across the energy industry in the transition to renewables-dominated power systems. In this 3-day intensive course, you will have an opportunity to learn about the fundamentals of different grid forming control topologies and their modelling. You will also learn about GFMI capabilities and grid applications, and you will be able to analyse and interpret GFMI performance under various grid settings that will help you gain a competitive edge in the grid integration of renewables.

Optional additional workshop

There will also be an optional additional online 4 hour PSCAD workshop.

This workshop will be held between 1pm-5pm on Tuesday 12th July, and it is purely focused on learning PSCAD.

This session is aimed more at PSCAD beginners, and shall teach techniques and methods that will be used throughout the main course.

What you will learn

  • Challenges of the energy transition and the emergence of GFMI as a promising solution
  • Fundamentals of the grid-forming concept, and how it compares with grid-following inverters and synchronous generators
  • Detailed modelling, control and tuning of droop-based and VSG-based grid-forming control methods,
  • An overview of alternative grid-forming controls such as VOC, and novel control methods such as Generalised VSG
  • Dynamic and transient stability of different GFMI types
  • How to test GFMI capabilities and analyse dynamic performance in PSCAD under a variety of grid conditions and contingencies
  • GFMI network capabilities including grid-strengthening, black-start, electrical inertia and islanded operation
  • The role of BESS in GFMI applications
  • Pilot projects, case studies and applications of GFMIs in the NEM and around the world
  • Existing research and future work on GFMIs

We are up to date with the latest developments in the energy industry. This short course will also feature a panel discussion and presentations from established industry experts including OEMs, consultants and grid operators.

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Fees

Fully online: $2250
On-Campus: $3250

Early bird discount - Valid until

3 June 2022
Fully online: $1950
On-Campus: $2950

Group discounts for organisations
  • 10% discount off normal rate for 3+ staff members
  • 15% discount off normal rate for 5+ staff members
Monash alumni and staff discount

Fully online: $1800
On-Campus: $2600

PSCAD workshop

Additional $400

Who should attend

The target audience consists of engineers, researchers, consultants, technical leads, grad students and other energy sector professionals. Career level of this audience is experienced grad, mid-level and associate.

Learning objectives

The primary learning objectives include:

  1. Learn the fundamentals of grid forming inverters (GFMI) and advantages over similar technologies
  2. Understand modelling, tuning and control strategies used in GFMIs
  3. Investigate dynamic and transient stability of different GFMI types
  4. Learn network capabilities and applications of GFMI
  5. Test GFMI capabilities and analyse dynamic performance in PSCAD under a variety of grid conditions and contingencies

Enhance your CV

When you complete a professional development program with Monash, you're learning from a university that combines world-leading teaching, research and experiences, and consistently ranks in the world’s top 100 universities.

Upon completion of Grid Forming Inverters, you'll receive a Monash digital badge that enables you to demonstrate this with evidence of your course completion. It represents the valuable skills that you've gained through this professional development opportunity. By sharing your digital credential, you can build trust with your prospective employers and your professional network, and enhance your personal brand and your career. Find out more.

Course agenda

Please download the course agenda PDF here.

Faculty biographies

Senior Lecturer, School of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University
Director, Grid Innovation Hub

Dr Behrooz Bahrani received his Ph.D. degree from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland, in electrical engineering in 2012. Currently, he is a senior lecturer at Monash University, where he is also the director of the Grid Innovation Hub.

He was recently a visiting academic at the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Prior to joining Monash University, he was a postdoctoral fellow at several international universities including EPFL, Georgia Tech, Purdue University, and the Technical University of Munich. His research interests include control of power electronics systems, applications of power electronics in power systems, and grid integration of renewable energy resources.

Do I need to use my own device?
You will need to use your own PSCAD compatible device. Please be aware that PSCAD is only compatible on the WINDOWS operating system. We also strongly recommend using a mouse with your device.

What if I do not have a PSCAD compatible device/or any device?

If you do not have a PSCAD-compatible device, we have a limited number of PSCAD-compatible devices, with PSCAD pre-installed, that we can make them available remotely so you can access them with AnyDesk for the duration of the course for a small fee. Please send an enquiry email to behrooz.bahrani@monash.edu, only after registering if you should require one. Please understand that we need time to organise and coordinate these, so any fee paid for a loan device will be non-refundable should you change your mind.

PSCAD Licenses
We will be providing PSCAD educational licenses for the duration of the course. These, along with download instructions, shall be providing closer to the course commencement date. With these you will be able to download PSCAD to your device. We strongly recommend that you download PSCAD before the commencement of the course, to avoid any potential delays and overcome any troubleshooting that may be required.