Faculty of Engineering
Research project description
Global efforts to combat climate change are driving a fundamental transformation of electric power systems. Increasing integration of renewable energy resources (RESs), rapid growth in direct-current (DC) loads driven by electric vehicle (EV) charging, and the modernization of aging infrastructure through high-voltage DC (HVDC) links are accelerating the transition from traditional alternating-current (AC) grids toward hybrid AC–DC power systems.
Power electronic inverters serve as the critical interface between AC and DC systems. However, most deployed inverters today are grid-following (GFL), meaning they inject current based on measured grid voltage and frequency. While GFL inverters perform well in strong grids, high penetration levels can lead to instability in low-inertia or weak power systems. Grid-forming inverters (GFMIs), which locally regulate voltage and frequency, offer improved stability and enable islanding and resilient operation. Despite their advantages, widespread integration of GFMIs presents significant technical challenges in control, protection, and interoperability. This project aims to address these challenges by developing advanced control and protection solutions for inverter-dominated power grids.
Fields of research
- Power and energy systems
- Control systems
Qualifications and ideal student profile
Prospective graduate student researchers must meet or exceed the minimum admission requirements for the programs connected to this opportunity. Visit the program pages using the links on this page to learn more about minimum admission requirements. In addition to minimum requirements, the research supervisor is looking for the following qualifications and student profile.
- A strong background in power and energy systems
Faculty researcher and supervisor
- Sahar Azad
Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
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Graduate programs connected to this project
Important dates
Control and Protection of Inverter-Dominated Power Systems is an open and ongoing research opportunity. Expressions of interest can be submitted for any term.