Event Review | Manchester Energy and Electrical Power Systems (MEEPS) Symposium 2024 Organised by IEEE PES Student Branch Chapter at the University of Manchester

On Friday, 1st November 2024, the IEEE PES Student Branch Chapter (SBC) at the University of Manchester (UoM) hosted the Manchester Energy and Electrical Power Systems Symposium (MEEPS 2024) at the Engineering Building B, Manchester Engineering Campus, University of Manchester, UK.

This highly anticipated annual event ran from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and attracted over 50 attendees throughout the day, including students, independent researchers, and professionals from the industry and academia.

Delegates came from nine universities across the UK, as well as internationally, including Aalborg University in Denmark.

MEEPS 2024, themed ‘Powering Tomorrow: Opportunities for Innovation in Energy Systems,’ provided a platform to discuss solutions to the pressing challenges of energy systems while striving towards a more sustainable energy future. The event featured three keynote speeches, two Women-in-Power (WiP) talks, and a research competition consisting of seven oral presentations and 9 poster presentations, covering a wide range of topics in the energy sector.

Opening Session

The symposium kicked off with a welcome address by Ms Elizabeth Michalenko, Chair of IEEE PES SBC, who introduced the importance and history of the MEEPS event. She highlighted the ongoing relevance of power systems engineering and how MEEPS continues to contribute to this field by fostering collaboration and research.

Following this, Prof Zhongdong Wang, Professor of High Voltage Engineering at the University of Manchester, delivered the opening address. Prof Wang discussed the critical role of academia in addressing the challenges posed by the energy transition and the importance of inspiring young researchers to contribute to the advancement of power systems engineering.

The first keynote session was delivered by Edward Pitchford and Yaashiene Pukazhendi from EA Technology, the platinum sponsor for MEEPS 2024. They presented on ‘Innovation in Industry’, offering an insightful overview of their products, including the VisNet Hub, and demonstrating how these solutions support the development and maintenance of the grid.

The first block of oral presentations began with a series of research presentations, each followed by engaging Q&A sessions with the audience and guest judges. The topics covered included:

1. ‘Operating Grid-Forming Converters with Power Angle in the Four-Quadrant Range’ by Armando Jose Gomes Abrantes Ferreira from Aalborg University and the Federal University of Campina Grande.
2. ‘Multiple Vehicles and Traction Network Interaction System Stability Analysis and Oscillation Responsibility Identification’ by Xiangyu Meng from the University of Manchester.
3. ‘Identification of Transient Stability Boundary Using Structural Causal Modelling’ by Faheem Ul Haq from the University of Manchester.
4. ‘Cascading Failure Modelling and Resilience Assessment in Power Systems’ by Yitian Dai from the University of Manchester.

Following a tea break, Rosa Serrano, Chair of IEEE Women-in-Power, UK & Ireland introduced the IEEE Women-in-Power (WiP) session, which showcased the expertise and contributions of women in the power and energy fields. The session featured two impactful talks:

• Laiz Souto (University of Bath) presented on ‘Improving Power Grid Preparedness to Severe Weather Events Now and in the Future’. Dr. Souto deliberated on how grid systems can be better prepared for the increasing challenges posed by severe weather, a crucial issue in the context of climate change.
• Xinfang Wang (University of Birmingham) shared her insights on ‘A Whole-Systems Approach for Sustainable Cooling and the Cold Chain’. Dr. Wang’s talk emphasised the impact of the cooling industry on power systems and its crucial role in achieving sustainability goals.

Shortly after the lunch, and with food still available, the poster session took place, where student researchers presented their findings on a variety of topics. The posters were:

•  ‘Quantification of Lost LV Transformer Capacity due to Unbalanced Loading and Associated Cost’ by Scott Angus from Newcastle University
• ‘Model-free Voltage Calculation for Hosting Capacity Assessment’ by Vincent Umoh from the University of Birmingham
• ‘Demand Side Response: How Our Electricity Usage Needs to Change Whilst Sustaining Growth’ by Ed Loveridge from the University of Bristol
• ‘Towards Explainability in Power Systems Optimisation – A Counterfactual Approach’ by Benjamin Fritz from the University of Strathclyde
• ‘Resilience Framework for Assessing Preventive Disconnections of Transmission Lines to Mitigate the Impact of Wildfires’ by Rosa Serrano from the University of Manchester
• ‘Sensitivity Study and Operational PD Monitoring Experiences of SF6-free GIS’ by Constantinos Onoufrio from the University of Manchester
• ‘Small-Signal Stability of Grid-Connected MMC-HVDC Systems: Impact of PLL Bandwidth and SCR’ by Shuai Wang from the University of Manchester
• ‘Feasible Operating Envelopes of Distribution Network Buses Considering Utilisation of Allocated Operating Range and Power Injection Limits’ by Ester Marcel from the University of Manchester
• Day-ahead Demand Side Management Optimisation Considering Payback Potential’ by Lois Efe from the University of Manchester

EA Technology also held a sponsor booth, where they gave the attendees the opportunity to interact with representatives from industry.

High Voltage Laboratory Tour and MECD Tour

During the lunch break, attendees had the opportunity to tour the High Voltage Laboratory at the University of Manchester and explore the Engineering Building A, guided by Dr Shanika Matharage and the service delivery team. The tours provided valuable insights into the university’s state-of-the-art facilities used in power systems research.

The second block of oral presentations followed, featuring more groundbreaking research:

1. ‘The Complementary Role of Interconnector and Demand Side Unit in Facilitating Grid Transition Towards Achieving 80% RES in the I-SEM System by 2030’ by Faraedoon Ahmed from the University of Manchester.
2. ‘Physics-Informed Deep Reinforcement Learning for Adaptive Load Shedding Scheme in Power Systems with Heterogeneous Resources’ by Alinane Kilembe from the University of Strathclyde.
3. ‘Distribution System Reconfiguration to Mitigate Load Altering Attacks via Stackelberg Games’ by Sajjad Maleki from the University of Warwick.

Each of these presentations delved into cutting-edge solutions for improving grid stability, load management, and resilience in power systems.

Following a short tea break, Kruna Vukmirovic from IET Journals gave an insightful talk on ‘Open Access Journals’, providing valuable guidance on how researchers can publish their work and engage with the wider scientific community.

This was followed by a keynote speech by Prof Xin Zhang, Professor of Control and Power Systems at the University of Sheffield. Prof Zhang’s presentation on ‘Cyber-Physical Power System Digital Simulation and Security Analysis’ focused on the integration of digital simulation techniques with physical systems and the importance of securing power system infrastructures in the digital age.

The symposium concluded with an Awards Ceremony recognising outstanding contributions:

• Best Oral Presentation: Ms Yitian Dai (University of Manchester)
• Best Poster: Mr Scott Angus (Newcastle University)
• EA Technology RFI Award: Benjamin Fritz (University of Strathclyde)
• UoM Essay Award: Mr Ed Loveridge (University of Bristol)

Ms. Elizabeth Michalenko, Chair of IEEE PES SBC, delivered the closing remarks, thanking all speakers, participants, sponsors, volunteers and committee members for their contributions in making MEEPS 2024 a successful event.

Participant Feedback

The event was met with overwhelmingly positive feedback, with attendees highlighting the quality and impact of the sessions. Some notable remarks included:

• “The sessions were engaging, and the quality of discussions encouraged meaningful exchange of ideas.”
• “Provided me with renewed motivation for my PhD research.”
• “Brought together key individuals from both industry and academia, which is invaluable for the research community.”

This feedback underscored the symposium’s role in bridging academic and industrial spheres, inspiring researchers, and fostering productive discussions that enriched the experience for all attendees.

The IEEE PES SBC at the University of Manchester would like to sincerely thank all stakeholders, participants, guests, mentors, volunteers from UoM’s EEE Society, and committee members for their invaluable contributions in making this event a great success.

A special thanks to our sponsors, including the University of Manchester’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, whose generous support makes this event possible every year, as well as EA Technology, IET, and Weidmann.

We would also like to express our gratitude to IEEE UK & Ireland Women in Power, IEEE UK & Ireland PES Chapter, and IEEE UK & Ireland for their continued support.

We look forward to welcoming you to future events organised by IEEE PES SBC at UoM. For more information on MEEPS 2024 and upcoming events, please visit http://www.ieee-manchester.org.uk/.

Prepared by:
Samvit Mavinkurve, Vice Chair, IEEE PES SBC at UoM

Reviewed by:
Elizabeth Michalenko, Chair, IEEE PES SBC at UoM
Airam Perez Guillen, Past Chair & Current Industrial Liaison Officer, IEEE PES SBC at UoM