Lecture: April 17, 2012

www.stanford.edu/class/ee392n


Grid Analytics - T&D Power Equipment Diagnosis/Prognosis thru Smart Grid Technologies

Alex Rojas, GE

Bio

Alex's distinguished 20 year career started with ABB where he designed Transmission, Distribution and substation power equipment. His work included long-term R&D assignments in Europe, and high profile product launches throughout South and Central America.

Next, he joined Beacon Power Corp. - a Boston, MA based company that had recently been founded by MIT and Harvard entrepreneurs. As an engineering manager, he identified and offered solutions to future needs of the electrical power industry. Today, part of his work has been implemented as a solution to frequency regulation (60 or 50 Hz).

Later, Alex took on the role of Director of Engineering at Megger - a leading Measurement and Diagnostics technology supplier Quanta Technology - the largest provider of engineering services to the electric power and telecommunication industries in the USA. Today, Alex is Director of Smart Grid Distribution Systems (in the Systems Engineering group) at GE Energy.

Alex has earned a MBA, MSEE and a BSEE from Southern Methodist University, Michigan Technological University and Ohio State University - respectively. Alex has filed and was granted a number of patents around energy storage and renewable generation integration.

Abstract

Owners and operators of electrical transmission and distribution systems are faced with increasing challenges. Public utility commissions are enforcing regulations for reliable energy delivery; while overseeing the proper adjudication of investment in infrastructure. Critical T&D equipment continues aging as utility planers and operators strive for controlling costs to benefit company owners.

The author will present real-time, operational and analytical asset management technologies that will help owners/operators address the above challenges. In one example, the author proposes the use of Smart Grid technologies to obtain situational awareness on the condition of power transformers. A key system component at the interface between the transmission and the distribution system. Then, the author proposes the use of a centralized software application for analysis of historical and current data. As output, the software application produces diagnostic and prognostic information for decision-making at all time-scales (short, medium and long term). Last, the author shows how current and future asset condition information is of great importance to utility planners and operators who are tasked with capital investment benefits and risks analysis.

Lecture Notes

Presentation on Grid Analitics by Alex Rojas (pdf)