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ERI training

Introduction to Microgrids - Perspectives of Practitioners

Presenter Peter Lilienthal (HOMER ENERGY), Clay Koplin (Cordova, Alaska), Lee Ucich (Horizon Power, PXise), Glenn Platt (Emergent, CSIRO Newcastle), Philip Maker (REMHART, ACEP), and Simon Gamble (Enernet, King Island)
Date 6 May 2022
Time 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Contact person Gopika Prema
E: gopika.prema@cdu.edu.au
Location CDU Casuarina Campus, Blue 2.1.50 and online
Three people in yellow hi-vis vests and facing camera and one person in orange hi-vis with back to camera looking at grey instrument panel

The Training covers diverse topics around microgrids, including the designing, installation, operation and challenges from the perspective of practitioners. All the speakers have decades of experience with power systems and share the lessons learned over the years of dealing with the life cycles of microgrids.

The Training is suitable for anyone interested in building microgrids or renewable energy systems and does not require any background knowledge in power systems engineering. The presentation also includes an overview of CDU’s Renewable Energy Microgrid hub for applied research and Training (REMHART) and the capabilities offered in renewable power systems from an NT perspective.

Glenn Platt - Dr Glenn Platt is a pioneer and an influential executive in the energy and clean-technology sector. As a critical driver of Australia’s energy transition, Glenn has made a significant contribution across the Asia Pacific region as a CEO, company founder and executive director. As a passionate leader and entrepreneur, Glenn has led teams, from engineers to economists, on projects over $100M of value covering solar, batteries, automation and control, electric vehicles, energy efficiency and electricity grid operations.

Clay Koplin - Clay is based in Cordova, Alaska, where he is both the state Mayor and CEO of Cordova Electric Cooperative Clay provides an overview of the whole system and journey of Cordova’s transition to renewable power generation. Cordova’s microgrid has been critical in helping the community reduce its reliance on diesel. Watch Cordova and resilience (YouTube).

Simon Gamble - Simon has played a vital role in the development of king island and many other power systems worldwide. He is currently with Enernet Global, which uses a build-own operation (BOO). ISES Presentation in Islanded Systems (YouTube), an overview of islanded systems.

Peter Lilienthal - Peter is the Global Microgrid lead at HOMER ENERGY. HOMER is the standard microgrid optimisation and system modelling tool, the starting point of almost every project. Most models come from Peters’s work at the National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL).

Phil Maker - Phil is working for REMHART on developing the Control Systems Test Facility. Previous projects have included the rollout of PV/Diesel systems (SETuP) across the Northern Territory and the development of various technologies such as flywheel energy storage and low-load diesel. Project sites have included Denham, Esperance, Ross Island and Graciosa.

Lee Ucich - Lee has worked in Western Australia on a wide variety of systems, including Horizon Power, which has a long history of delivering energy solutions in the area. Lee will provide a Western Australia view regarding microgrids.
Read more about an example.

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