Centre for Future Energy Networks

We carry out internationally-recognised research in the fields of energy and power networks and intelligent grid technologies towards the development of future electrical power grids.

Our research is reshaping electricity networks to fit the special conditions and challenges within Australia – that is, managing abundant energy sources for a relatively small population across large geographical areas.

One such example is the National Electricity Market (NEM) transmission path down the east coast of Australia which is the longest in the world.

We're also providing our talented students studying this field and industry partners with a deeper understanding of these ongoing obstacles.

Our research

We focus on a range of research initiatives orientated to an era of constrained-carbon systems. Our key areas are: 

Grid operations and planning

Distributed control, grid integration.

The traditional highly-centralised grid structure is being questioned for its long-term suitability.

New ideas such as microgrids and smart grids are likely to change grids especially at distribution levels.

It must be secure, and interact with associated networks such as water, gas, transport and telecommunication.

We work on a range of problems related to future energy grids including the impact of renewables, demand response and energy storage, and their impact on grid stability.

Our work focuses on the physical power systems and ensuring secure system operations and promoting efficient system expansion planning in industrial practices.

We have extensive experience in areas such as:

  • generic constraints for electricity market operations and planning,
  • power system load modeling, 
  • power system Var control and prediction, 
  • power system forecasting and predictive control, 
  • fast simulation techniques for system dynamic analysis, 
  • electricity market simulation and system vulnerability, and 
  • stability assessment techniques.

Future Grid: CSIRO Flagship Collaboration Fund cluster

Our experts:  Professor  David Hill , Associate Professor  Jin Ma , Associate Professor  Gregor Verbic

Our collaborators: University of Newcastle, University of Queensland, UNSW

Industry partners: Numerous industry and government stakeholders played an advisory role

We assisted the CSIRO in delivering the first analytical framework of its kind to systematically investigate the most economically efficient energy network (electricity and natural gas) configurations for Australia.

With this framework, Australia will be able to identify the lowest cost pathway to integrate significant amounts of large and small scale renewables into our grid with existing technologies while maintaining operational stability.

This will pave the way for significant emissions reductions in Australia’s most carbon intensive economic sector.

Advanced modelling and analytical techniques are now being developed to provide a suite of tools to expand our understanding of:

  • the total costs of transmission and distribution systems for standard and alternative grid topologies
  • the development and treatment of methods to deal with increasing renewable energy supply of 20% and beyond
  • potential market failures in current system planning and operations in dealing with intermittent renewable generation
  • the full benefit of demand side measures in reducing total system cost, i.e. the investment and operating costs of generation, storage, transmission and distribution assets
  • potential policy and regulatory models that would help Australia implement the most optimal, technologically feasible outcome.

We will study scenarios out to 2050 driven by fuel prices, policy, market and grid planning paradigms.

Analytical techniques are being developed for grid performance assessment and optimal design in terms of reliability, cost and carbon emission limits.

Modelling load and its impact analysis on a changing power grid

Our expert: Associate Professor   Jin Ma

Supported by the University of Sydney Bridging Funding, this project will develop load modelling theories applicable to versatile loads with high modelling accuracy.

Based on these new models, we will investigate the stability of an electricity network when the loads are more actively involved in system controls such as in demand-response schemes.

Work on distributed control   was started with our participation in the Australian government’s Smart Grid Smart City (SGSC) project.

This led to the view that smarter grids go beyond providing enhanced data from the grid; there should be more capability to operate and control the whole system in a distributed way with new structures, which would allow new technologies like demand-side control and control using energy storage.

To achieve the required performance from any future grid, the control system will need to take account of diverse data; process this data in a timely and distributed manner; optimise across different voltage levels; and send appropriate control instructions for the optimum operation of all system components.

The fundamental building blocks for advanced smart grids are well established in our centre research, namely power networks and markets, telecommunications, data mining and learning, constrained optimisation, and distributed control.

The research work is exploring demand response mechanisms, scaling solutions, reducing peak demand, enhancing reliability and then enabling new capabilities for future grids, particularly substantially decreasing levels of carbon emissions.

CONSORT: Consumer energy systems providing cost-effective grid support

Our experts:  Associate Professor  Gregor Verbic

Our collaborators:  Australian National University, University of Tasmania

Industry partners:  Reposit Power and TasNetworks

CONSORT is a multi-disciplinary collaborative project that will develop an innovative automated control platform and new payment structures.

It will enable consumers with PV-battery systems to provide support services to a constrained electricity network.

These new capabilities will be demonstrated during peak load events on Bruny Island, Tasmania, to relieve the undersea cable supplying the island and reduce the need for expensive diesel generators.

Sustainable power delivery structures for high renewables

Our experts:  Professor  David Hill , Associate Professor  Jin Ma

Our collaborators: University of Hong Kong, Imperial College London

This proposal addresses the sustainability of electrical power delivery systems.

The traditional paradigm of generation following demand , where millions of diverse customer actions are balanced with the controlled output of a small number of major generation plants, cannot handle the distributed and variable nature of solar and wind energy sources.

We're exploring a new paradigm, which is adaptive in the sense of demand following generation.

The load devices contribute to overall balancing and welfare of the system in processes of demand response and load control.

Thus future smart loads , using advanced power electronics, and the control and communication systems must themselves be adaptive to the dynamically changing power generation and circumstances.

The four research teams will be led by internationally renowned experts in the key areas:

  • power systems, 
  • power electronics, 
  • computer networking and 
  • control technology. 

The investigators will add special skills for particular projects.

By integrating these areas in a balanced way, the aim is to build a unique research capability which can support the future industry in the Pearl River Region and beyond.

The team will build on several of its own highly innovative ideas that have shown promise for the proposed research, namely (i) electric springs, (ii) granular modelling and control and (iii) adaptive networking (integrated with communication, control and security). 

Our grid integration all aim to facilitate the greater penetration of new technologies such as distributed generation, large-scale renewable power, energy storage and electronic vehicles.

Many projects involve novel designs for power electronic converters. A theme is how to ensure distributed generation and demand response can also participate in system services.

Projects with vendors, including ABB for solar energy management systems, have begun or are being set up. This work informs the modeling needed for the planning and smart grids research.

Smart grid testing facility

Our experts:  Professor  David Hill , Associate Professor  Jin Ma , Associate Professor  Gregor Verbic

We aim to establish an essential part of infrastructure required for experimental research in the area of distributed resources under smart grid.

The innovative theoretical methodologies being developed under existing or completed competitive research projects in this area will be validated through experimental research.

The proposed experimental platform will also help to resolve technical issues related to future power supply systems including

  • real-time data from smart meters, 
  • application of vehicle to grid systems, 
  • demand management, 
  • control, and 
  • protection aspects under uncertain nature of renewable energy sources. 

This will bring together the researchers in this area to utilise the facility for collaborative research.

Wide-area interconnected clean energy highway

Our experts:  Professor  David Hill

Energy systems are undergoing unprecedented transformations with the incorporation of renewable energy sources, advanced transmission facilities, and emerging power-to-gas technologies.

All these changes, while potentially making energy system more responsive, efficient and resilient, also pose significant implementation challenges.

We aim to resolve key technical barriers to facilitate the deployment of clean energy highway, enabling operations across interdependent domains to ensure more sustainable solutions for energy generation, delivery, and utilisation in this new energy era.

The outcome will include a sound and robust suite of models and associated methodologies for study, analysis, and design of the clean energy highway.

MagNet Engine: a power magnetics design tool

Our experts : Professor Jianguo Zhu , Dr Sinan Li , 

The initiation of MagNet Engine to advance scholarly research and design practices in power magnetics.

MagNet Engine offers a software suite incorporating cutting-edge models that predict the magnetic properties of various soft materials with better performance than traditional curve-fitting models, such as the Steinmetz equation.

MagNet Engine is a transparent, accessible, flexible, and continuously evolving power magnetics design tool, providing:

  • use of multiple cutting-edge core loss model,
  • customized magnetic working conditions,
  • hysteresis (B-H) loop visualization,
  • core loss density prediction, and
  • exporting hysteresis data.

Its user-friendly design, coupled with advanced modelling and visualization capabilities, makes it an invaluable resource for anyone involved in the study or application of power electronics.

Collaborate with us

Find a supervisor, centre director, power engineering group, sir william tyree power engineering laboratory.

This cutting-edge facility supports both research and teaching, with electrical engineering students benefiting from hands-on experience using industry-standard equipment and methodologies.

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Power Engineering Research Group

PhD Scholarship – Robust Renewables Hosting Capacity Enhancement

The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, at The University of Sydney (USyd) which is ranked 19 th in the QS World University Rankings, is seeking two highly motivated and skilled PhD candidates in the area of power systems . The candidature will start in July 2024.

Supervisor and Team:

The PhD candidates will be supervised by Dr. Cuo Zhang , an ARC DECRA Fellow and a Lecturer in Power Engineering at USyd. He is an internationally recognized researcher in the area of power systems, with 30 IEEE Transactions papers (11 first-authored and 9 corresponding-authored), 6 IEEE/IET international conference best papers (3 first-authored) and 1 book. He was a recipient of an IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid Annual Outstanding Paper. He is an IEEE Senior Member and an Associate Editor of IEEE Access. He is committed to providing mentorship and support to the PhD candidates and will work closely with them to ensure their success in the research.

The power engineering research team with one IEEE fellow and the IEEE TSG Senior Editor has a strong research track and significant R&D impacts, outstanding testing facilities and established collaborations with international/domestic leading universities, research institutions and industry partners.

The project topic is “Robust Renewables Hosting Capacity Enhancement for Distribution Networks,” and it is an Australian Research Council founded project.

Promoting renewable power generation and clean hydrogen production are key priorities as Australia strives to reach its target of net zero emissions by 2050. However, a high proportion of renewables have caused severe technical challenges in our current power distribution systems. These include reduced quality of power supply and restrictions on utilising rooftop solar power, which have economic flow on effects for industry and individuals. This project will identify and address the technical barriers that cause such challenges and offer robust operation methods and innovative optimisation tools resulting in high operational reliability and efficiency of the power grid. The theoretical advances and immediate solutions from this project will contribute to reducing our electricity bills, securing increasing renewables installation, and further supporting Australian clean hydrogen production. Once adopted by utility operators and government agencies, these advances will speed up the national decarbonisation campaign by supplying eco-friendly, cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable energy for Australia.

  • The tuition fee will be waived. The Australian standard living stipend $40,109 per year will be provided for 3.5 years.
  • Travel costs for international conferences will be covered by the project fund.
  • Other benefits provided by the School/Faculty/University, e.g., HDR Education Support Scheme, and Postgraduate Research Support Scheme.

Qualifications:

  • Master degree or Honors Bachelor degree in the area of power systems. Expected degree completion/award by June 2024 can be considered.
  • Strong background in power system planning, operation, and control.
  • Optimal power flow or volt/var control for active distribution networks
  • Distribution network dynamics and real-time simulation
  • Hosting capacity assessment and maximization
  • Modelling and operation of community battery or hydrogen electrolyser
  • Applications of deep reinforcement learning or graphical reinforcement leaning
  • Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and publish top-tier international journal articles.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Ability to work collaboratively with supervisors and research peers.

With regard to English proficiency requirements, please go here .

Please send a cover letter, your CV and transcripts to [email protected] by 31st January 2024 . The cover letter should highlight your qualifications, research interests, and why you are interested in the project.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Prof Gregor Verbic [email protected]

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