APIC Workshop 2025

Overview

TOPICS

However, advancements in voltage-sourced converter (VSC) technology over the past 20+ years—particularly the development of modular multilevel converters (MMCs)—have made newer VSC-HVDC systems the state-of-the-art solution for modern applications that have long been challenging for classical LCC-HVDC to accommodate, primarily the grid integration of offshore wind and the development of multiterminal systems including DC grids. Hybrid LCC/VSC-HVDC systems have also started to emerge, combining the best traits of each technology.

Both LCC-HVDC and VSC-HVDC systems are currently experiencing rapid levels of global growth. Not surprisingly, there is also soaring interest in medium-voltage DC (MVDC) systems at the distribution level, where the same underlying VSC technology is adopted but at commensurately lower voltage and power levels.

Related to the surging global demand in DC technologies, Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) controllers and their distribution-level counterparts (often called Custom Power Controllers) are also being increasingly utilized. FACTS controllers are a collection of power electronic devices that provide rapid and precise control of the interrelated parameters that govern the operation of transmission systems (Z, I, V). They can substantially improve power transfer capacity and voltage regulation capabilities through the control of line active and reactive power flows. Custom Power Controllers share similar principles but are tailored for distribution systems, with different placement and functionality.

As power systems transition toward high penetrations of renewable generation and widespread electrification, demand-side flexibility is emerging as a critical resource for maintaining grid reliability, mitigating congestion, and reducing wholesale price volatility. New sources of flexible demand—including electric vehicles, behind-the-meter solar-plus-storage, and smart building systems—are rapidly expanding and reshaping the potential of demand-side participation.

This talk surveys the current state of demand-side flexibility, reviewing mechanisms deployed in North America and barriers that have limited broader adoption. It then highlights recent research advances in:

Open challenges include uncertainty, customer engagement, and market design—key to unlocking the value of demand-side flexibility in the energy transition.

Power grids are undergoing rapid transformation across generation, transmission, and demand. This segment summarizes recent explorations of grid modeling and visualization from a data science and machine learning perspective. By leveraging geographical, electrical, and socioeconomic data, realistic power networks can be reverse engineered with learned line parameters and validated using market clearing and emissions data.

A visualization paradigm is also discussed, based on a working Alberta grid case study.

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is creating unprecedented electricity demand driven by data centres and high-performance computing facilities. Meeting this “Power for AI” challenge requires new strategies for siting, interconnection, ride-through capability, cooling and power-density management, and renewable integration to support carbon-aware AI workloads.

At the same time, “AI for Power” is transforming how we design and operate power systems. Advances in machine learning support improved short-term load forecasting, parameter estimation, and intelligent control for integrating renewables and flexible demand. Decision-focused learning and reinforcement learning open new directions for optimization and real-time operations.

The talk also discusses opportunities and risks, including data privacy, explainability, and ensuring reliable performance of AI-driven decision-making in critical energy infrastructure.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Gregory Kish received the BESc degree in electrical engineering from the University of Western Ontario, where he was awarded the Governor General’s Silver Academic Medal, and received both his MASc and PhD degrees from the University of Toronto. From 2002 to 2005, Dr. Kish worked in industry where he was involved in many projects related to electrical energy systems, ranging from PLCs, electric drives and rotating machines to high-voltage electrical substations. He joined the University of Alberta in 2015.

Dr. Kish is a senior member of the IEEE, and a member of the IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES), IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) and IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IES). He is also a member of CIGRE. From 2017–2021, he was involved with CIGRE international Working Group B4.76 “DC-DC converters in HVDC Grids and for connections to HVDC systems”. Dr. Kish is a Professional Engineer in Alberta (APEGA) and Ontario (PEO).

Yize Chen is an assistant professor with the ECE Department at the University of Alberta. He received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Washington (2021) and his undergraduate degree from Chu Kochen College at Zhejiang University (2016). He was a postdoctoral researcher at the Computing Sciences Area of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

He has also held research positions at ISO New England, Microsoft Research, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Harvard Medical School, working on projects related to data centers, power grid infrastructures, biological dynamics, and the built environment. Previously, he was an assistant professor at the Artificial Intelligence Thrust of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, also affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at HKUST.

Yize’s research focuses on the intersection of control, optimization, and machine learning, with interests in designing cyber-physical systems—especially power systems—with performance guarantees. He is committed to achieving sustainable and autonomous clean energy systems, and is a recipient of multiple best paper and prize paper awards at IEEE PES General Meeting (2024, 2022), Power Systems Computation Conference (PSCC) (2020), and ACM e-Energy (2019).

Agenda

1. 8:30am – 8:40amIntroduction and opening remarks.
2. 8:40am – 9:40amLCC-HVDC and VSC-HVDC Technologies
3. 9:40am – 9:50amBreak
4. 9:50am – 10:50amDC System Case Studies
5. 10:50am – 11:00amBreak
6. 11:00am – 12:00pmFACTS & Related Distribution Technologies
7. 12:00pm – 12:10pmWrap up and closing remarks.
8. 12:10pm – 1:00pmLunch
9. 1:00pm – 1:50pmUntapping Demand-Side Flexibility: Current States, Mechanisms, and New Methods
10. 1:50pm – 2:00pmBreak
11. 2:00pm – 2:50pmGrid Modeling and Visualization with Open Source Data
12. 2:50pm – 3:00pmBreak
13. 3:00pm – 3:55pmPower for AI, AI for Power
14. 3:55pm – 4:00pmWrap up and closing remarks.

Speakers