From 9 to 15 November 2026, Christian A. Hans is visiting the School of Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering (E3T) at UIS in Bucaramanga as part of the DAAD-funded SERENE project. During his stay, he will give the following two talks:

Conversatorio with faculty and graduate students on “Intelligent methods for future low-carbon energy systems”

• Wednesday, 11 November 2026, 1:00–2:00 pm (local time)
• Mini auditorio E3T, Piso 3 (Complejo FM), UIS

Abstract

The environmental drawbacks of conventional power generation are accelerating the global transition toward renewable energy sources. This shift is transforming power systems from a few centralized, large-scale generators to many distributed, small-scale units, which often come with uncertain power infeed. The increasing use of electric vehicles, heat pumps, and storage units further adds complexity by introducing a large number of additional, possibly controllable, components. The resulting increase in complexity and uncertainty poses significant challenges.

To address these challenges, intelligent methods are essential. These include automatic control approaches, such as predictive and distributed control, data-based forecasting and optimization, as well as system modeling, identification, and simulation. Together, they enable stable, secure, and efficient operation of complex energy systems under uncertainty through reliable real-time decision-making. This talk highlights different intelligent approaches for future low-carbon energy systems. In particular, the following questions will be addressed:

• How can data be employed in predictive control schemes for islanded power systems?
• How can interconnected energy systems be operated using distributed optimization schemes?
• How can inverter-interfaced battery units be controlled to provide important ancillary services?
• How can artificial intelligence be used to identify power system dynamics?

Workshop for students on “How to keep the lights on with more renewables: A story about smart control”

• Friday, 13 November 2026, 10:00 am–12:00 noon (local time)
• Mini auditorio E3T, Piso 3 (Complejo FM), UIS

Abstract

The transition to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power presents a fundamental challenge: unlike conventional power plants, their power output depends on the weather rather than on electricity demand. Yet, electricity generation and consumption must always remain balanced to keep the grid stable.

This talk explains how smart control can address this challenge. Starting from a simple microgrid example, it illustrates why classical control strategies are often inefficient and how forecasts of wind, solar power, and electricity demand enable better decisions. This naturally leads to the central idea of Model Predictive Control (MPC), which repeatedly plans ahead and updates its decisions as new information becomes available.

The presentation includes interactive Python demonstrations showing how batteries, renewable generators, and conventional backup units can be coordinated to operate a microgrid efficiently. No prior knowledge of control theory or power systems is required—only curiosity about how future energy systems will be operated.