Grid Voltage Regulation with Distributed Energy Resources
Mr. Mark Baldassari
Director of Codes and Standards
Enphase, Petaluma, CA
Thu, 03/14/2019
Abstract - Utilities manage voltage drop along feeder circuits that can extend tens of miles. According to industry standards, a utility is obligated to keep the voltage at each service within 5% of its rated values. It usually accomplishes this using distributed capacitor banks and voltage regulators— automatically adjustable load-tap–changing transformers—placed at a few locations along each feeder. Distributed Energy Generation (DER) can help regulate voltage through Advanced Grid Functions (AGF) which control Reactive and Active power levels. The net result stabilizes grid frequency and voltage.
Mr. Mark Baldassari – has over 34 years’ experience in engineering and product development and over 10 years with Enphase Energy, where he holds the position of Director, Codes and Standards. Currently, he actively participates in a number of Codes and Standards development groups both internationally and domestically. Domestically, Mr. Baldassari regularly participates in IEEE 1547 series of standards development with emphasis towards improving the grid integration of PV systems. He is involved with Underwriters Laboratory working on the harmonization of UL and IEC standards and a Standards Technical Panel member for UL 1699B and UL 2703. Mr. Baldassari is an active member of the CalSEIA Codes and Standards and PV Industry Forum. He is very involved with the drafting of the 2020 NEC for articles 690 and chairman for article 705. Mr. Baldassari has bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from California State University Sacramento, USA.
Radio Wave Propagation in Open and Obstructed Environments
Mr. Rod Sugiyama
Chief Operating Officer
Operant Solar, Santa Rosa, CA
Thu, 03/07/2019
Abstract - Radio frequency propagation is critically important in our modern society. In addition to commonly known wireless devices such as mobile phones and wireless LAN, Services such as Waze (GPS location services), medical applications such as MRI, communication for police and fire services rely on RF propagation to deliver the service at the highest quality level. Since these services use open air as the transmission media, there is a critical need to engineer not only the electronics of wireless devices and systems but application of the knowledge of RF propagation in the real world. Thus, engineers need to understand and mitigate the effects of various obstructions on the RF links to deliver the ultimate satisfaction to the end and intermediate users. With that in mind, this presentation introduces key concepts of radio wave propagation in free space and through various types of obstructions.
Mr. Rod Sugiyama has 25+ years of engineering management and with 14 years of R&D program leadership. He has crossfunctional expertise and experience in leading purchasing, manufacturing and design engineering teams to achieve best in class results. Rod utilized his skills and experience at Tektronix, Keithey Instruments and HP/Agilent/Keysight in all aspects/phases of programs: mechanical, software, test and electronic hardware development through production ramp. He has managed remote sites and organizations of 5-60 people. Rod has an AS in Electronic Technology from SRJC and a BSEE from Cal State University, Sacramento.
Advances Made in Electronic Devices Using Widebandgap Semiconductors
Dr. Srabanti Chowdhury
Associate Professor
EE Department, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Thu, 02/21/2019
Abstract - We live in extremely exciting times, often identified as age of the fourth industrial revolution. With electrification at every level, we are witnessing the most significant transformation of transportation since the internal combustion engine. Renewable energy is now a reality. Robotics and autonomous vehicles are upon us. This new world needs new physical electronics solutions with new materials, devices and heterogeneous integration to drive these innovations to their full potential. Widebandgap (WBG) semiconductors present a pathway to enable much of these electronics with higher efficiency and newer functionalities. Semiconductor devices with higher power density have unprecedented value in both power and high frequency electronics. Reducing conversion losses helps minimizing consumption of limited resources; it simultaneously enables new compact solutions, the basis for offering increased power conversion performance at reduced system cost. GaN has also opened the door to other ultrawide bandgap materials such as Diamond, Aluminum Nitride and Gallium Oxide.
Dr. Srabanti Chowdhury is an Associate Prof. of EE at Stanford University and holds an adjunct faculty position at UC Davis. She received her M.S and PhD in EE UC Santa Barbara. She received the DARPA Young Faculty Award, NSF CAREER and AFOSR Young Investigator Program (YIP) in 2015. In 2016 she received the Young Scientist award at the International Symposium on Compound Semiconductors (ISCS). She serves as the member of two committees under IEEE Electron Device Society. She has served the IEEE International Devices Meeting (IEDM) technical sub committee Electron served the IEEE International Electron on Power Devices & Compound Semiconductor and High Speed Devices (PC) subcommittee in 2016 and 2017. She was the PC subcommittee chair for IEDM-2018, and continues to serve the IEDM executive committee for 2019. She is a senior member of IEEE.
Quantifying and Measuring Phase Noise in RF and Microwave Signals
Dr. Salam Marougi
Expert Engineer
Keysight Technologies, Santa Rosa, CA
Thu, 02/07/2019
Abstract - Over the past years, Phase Noise has become critical parameter for the performance of many systems ranging from cellular receivers, highspeed digital systems, and target detection and identification systems. Currently, Phase Noise is a very important design parameter for all top-of-the line signal generators and frequency synthesizers. In this seminar, Phase Noise will be defined and explained in simple terms. The various methods and concepts used to quantify Phase Noise in time and frequency domains will be defined and explained. The frequency domain approach in quantifying and measuring Phase Noise will be will be emphasized and explained in detail because it is the most accurate and repetitive approach for characterizing Phase Noise. Different practical methods used in measuring Phase Noise will be explained and compared. The design of commercially available test instruments is also explained and compared to understand merits and limitations.
Dr. Salem Marougi is with the Signal Sources Division of Keysight Technologies. He has over twenty-two years of experience working on various RF and Microwave assemblies and products. He started his career with Hewlett-Packard Company, then continued with Agilent Technologies and currently he is with Keysight Technologies. Before joining the Hi-Tech Industries, Dr. Marougi was University Professor at various Institutions. He also has taught for the University of California- Berkeley continuous education courses for over twelve years on topics related to Phase-Locked Loops and Phase Noise. He also has provided consultations and training to various Hi-Tech companies. Dr. Marougi has acquired extensive experience in the Test and Measurement Industries where he worked on various RF receivers, Modular Systems, Spectrum Analyzers, and Frequency Synthesizers. Currently, he is involved with Performance Signal Generators and Ultra-Fast Switching Signal Sources. Dr. Marougi holds an MS and a Ph.D. in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from the United Kingdom.
Metasurfaces: Engineering Electromagnetic Wavefronts
Dr. Mohamed Salem
Assistant Professor
Engineering Science Department, Sonoma State University
Thu, 11/15/2018
Abstract - Metamaterials was once synonymous with ‘paradigm shift’ and ‘future technology’. In the first decade of the 21st century, metamaterials were sought to solve a large number of problems in microwaves and optics, and rapidly advance industrial, scientific, medical, and military technologies. Yet very few of the initial expectations have come to fruition. This lack of concrete applications led some critics to label metamaterials as an “unearned irony of the improperly educated postmodern crowd”. This talk sheds some light on the origin behind the initial enthusiasm and the followed disappointment in metamaterial research. The successor of bulk metamaterials, namely metasurfaces, is introduced and the underlying electromagnetic-metasurface interactions are analyzed. A detailed insight is given into metasurface engineering and several realizable applications. An overview of metasurface engineering future roadmap is laid out with pointers to some of the available exciting research and development opportunities.
Dr. Mohamed Salem is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Science at Sonoma State University. He received his Ph.D. from New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ in2009. Prior to joining Sonoma State University, he was a lecturer with the University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. He has several years of postdoctoral experience with Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwwal, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Salem's research focuses on electromagnetic propagation and scattering phenomena and wave-matter interaction. He is particularly interested in metasurface application in wavefront shaping and unconventional waves and beams, such as localized waves.