Power Analytics Announces Industry's First Training Course for Incorporating Photovoltaics in Power Systems Models

Power Analytics Corporation, the leader in advanced electrical power software solutions, today announced the offering of the industry’s first power systems modeling course focused on the design of electrical power infrastructure that incorporates photovoltaics (PV), the process of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into electricity.

Entitled “Modeling and Design of Photovoltaic Systems,” the three-day course – a combination of expert lecture and hands-on model building – is intended for experienced power systems engineers interested in learning how to model power systems infrastructure that incorporates PV components. Participants in the class will be among the first to gain the skills necessary to begin undertaking infrastructure design projects with significant PV content.

The course is based on Power Analytics’ new Paladin® DesignBase™ (version 4.0) modeler released in June. The software incorporates advanced PV modeling capabilities developed as part of High Penetration Solar research projects conducted with the Department of Energy and UC San Diego; training includes dynamic simulation of PV in a power circuit with time-series solar irradiance data. Once created, models can become part of a real-time PV integration – using the Company’s Paladin® SmartGrid™ platform – including real-time solar forecasting. Other PV-specific features provided by Paladin DesignBase include:
• The unique ability to model PV generation incorporating the two most difficult items: variation of inverter design and variation in solar irradiance.
• The powerful ability to take this groundbreaking capability and use it in context of a full system and dynamic design and modeling environment regardless of the size and complexity of the power network.
• The ability to use the design simulation in real-time, including real time solar irradiance; accurate planning and real time performance.

The course is also designed to provide training that is immediately relevant to larger issues, like project planning, that power systems engineers face in PV projects. For example, while the low voltage limitations in PV projects are not significant from a power perspective, they are very significant from a project planning perspective, especially in cases where there is no bidirectional communications ability between the low voltage PV (residential) which makes planning and management of the PV extremely difficult. Thus, the selection of design and planning tools – coupled with the need for real-time integration between design and deployed products – can result in a superior planning environment.

“One of the obstacles holding back the widespread commercialization of Smart Grid and microgrid technologies was the simple fact that there were no CAD modeling platforms available to support their design, optimization, or deployment” said Mark A. Ascolese, Chairman and CEO of Power Analytics Corporation. “Today, the tools exist to finally enable the rapid, practical development of power infrastructure that interchangeably incorporates solar, wind, co-gen, and utility power… whenever and wherever it is practical and cost-effective to deploy.”

The instructor of the course is Professor Silviu Darie, PhD., who has 40 years’ experience in University-level electrical engineering instruction and industry consulting. He is a renowned authority worldwide in power system analysis computer applications, electrical energy distribution, electrical energy management, demand side management, power quality, transmission pricing, embedded generation, computer aided power system analysis and design. Dr. Darie has led nearly 180 electrical power projects.

Power Analytics is uniquely qualified to offer such a course, based upon its industry-leading experience in power systems infrastructure incorporating photovoltaic components:
• Its Paladin SmartGrid master controller installed at the UC San Diego microgrid is the only fielded system of its kind;
• The newest version of its Paladin DesignBase modeler is the most complete platform for the design and optimization of power systems with PV content; and
• The Company’s Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Meagher, is a frequent speaker on alternative energy infrastructure, and was named among the “100 people you have to know in Smart Grid.”

Four sessions will be held at Power Analytics’ headquarters in San Diego from September 13-15; October 25-27; November 15-17; and December 6-8, 2011. Tuition for the course is $2995, and to ensure the highest possible level of instructor-student interaction, class size is limited to the first 15 registrants per session, and attendees will qualify for continuing education units (CEUs) through the IEEE Education Partners Program. Detailed information can be obtained by visiting the Power Analytics Website at www.PowerAnalytics.com/pvcourse.