Dr' Liuchen Chang

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Power Converters for Renewable Energy and
Distributed Generation Systems

• Dr. Liuchen Chang
• Professor, Dept. of Elec. Comp. Eng.
• University of New Brunswick
• Fredericton, NB, Canada
• LChang_at_unb.ca

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Team, Technology Market
3
Sustainable Power Research Group at UNB

• 4 Professors
• Dr. Liuchen Chang (power conversion)
• Dr. Julian Meng (communications)
• Dr. B. Venkatesh (power systems)
• Dr. Chris Diduch (controls)
• 1 Research Associate (electric machines)
• 21 Ph.D. and M.Sc. Students
• Partners with other research groups, universities
  and companies
• Significant funding from NSERC, AIF, NRCan, CFI,
  SDTC, NBIF, and industry

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Renewable Energy and Distributed Generation

• 30GW installed DGs
• Annual growth of 9GW ? 14b
• Will reach 6 of total new capacity (2020)

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DG - Interconnection

• DGs must meet interconnection requirements
  (standards, utilities)
• Grid specifications
• Safety protection (..Anti-islanding..)
• Power quality
• Power conversion
• System control

Black Box ? Power
Electronic Converters
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Converter Technologies Commercialized
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Power Converter Technologies - One-Stop Solution
for DGs

• Advanced converter topologies
• Advanced space vector PWM for converters ? high
  power quality
• Advanced anti-islanding algorithm ? compliant
  with safety requirements
• Integrated maximum power point tracking ?
  maximize energy output

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Buck-Boost Inverters for Small Wind and Solar
Systems

• Simplest structure
• Low cost
• Wide range of operation
• Plug and play

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Dispatchable DG Networks

• Dispersed DGs are controlled by an computer
  system via communication links
• Virtual large generator
• System support

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Partners

• DG producers (small wind turbines, solar
  electricity systems, small hydros, microturbines,
  ICEs) who will integrate power converters in
  their products through licensing.
• Power companies and independent power producers
  will can test the dispatchable DG networks

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Summary

• Advanced power converter and control technologies
  for renewable energy and distributed generation
  systems (wind, solar, small hydro, microturbines
  etc.)
• Applied in field operation and commercialized in
  products
• Potential partners include independent power
  producers, DG producers, power companies, etc.