EE Colloquia: Enabling Resilient Cyber-Physical Microgrids

Abstract: The development of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) is seen as a great opportunity to achieve the target of modernizing the power systems. Nevertheless, the high penetration of DERs significantly reduces the system’s inertia due to the widespread integration of power-electronic interfaces. Thus, it makes the DER dominant power grid sensitive and vulnerable to disturbances. To tackle these issues, a set of methods has been developed in the cyber and physical layers of microgrids. First, reachability analysis will be introduced in this talk to efficiently assess microgrid stability in the presence of heterogeneous uncertainties induced by high penetration of DERs. Second, we will shift the focus to learning-based DER modeling to utilize the advances of machine learning for nonlinear microgrids. Third, a programmable software-defined attack detection strategy will be introduced to protect the system from cyberattacks and physical attacks. The new technologies collectively lead to a set of powerful tools for planning and operating future renewable energy systems.

Bio: Yan Li received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, U.S., in 2019. She also received a Ph.D. degree from Tianjin University, Tianjin, China, in 2013. Both are in electrical engineering. She worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Denver during 2013-2014. She is currently an assistant professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, U.S. Her research interests include cyber-physical power systems, quantum computing, data-driven modeling and control, resilience analysis, cybersecurity, software-defined networking, etc. Dr. Li is a recipient of the Penn State Charles H. Fetter Endowed Fellowship, the IEEE-PES Outstanding Engineer Award, the Connecticut Women of Innovation Award, the UConn Outstanding Senior Women Academic Achievement Award, Connecticut Power and Energy Society Rising Star Award among others.