Visiting PhD student from University of Sevilla on collaborative microgrids research at MCAST in Malta

PhD student candidate Francisco de Paula García López from the University of Sevilla, Spain, was recently in Malta for a period of three months to collaborate with MCAST Energy Research Group within the Institute of Engineering and Transport.

The visit is part of 3DMGrid Project: Design, Development and Demonstration of a future-proof active Smart MicroGrid system, which is partly funded by the Malta Council for Science and Technology through the ERANETMED initiative of Member States, Associated Countries and Mediterranean Partner Countries.

Malta is a privileged country for solar energy and this is one of the pillars for this active microgrid. The data collected and the simulations performed gave a first point of view at the scenarios operations of MCAST Paula Campus microgrid development. These scenarios range from imports, exports, islanding, and possible voltage control using existing photovoltaic systems. This project aims to provide an active and intelligent micro-grid by 2019, a pioneer in Malta.

The MCAST Energy Research Group, led by Dr Inġ. Brian Azzopardi, Principal Investigator, leads the Energy Research Theme at MCAST. The group specialises in global and regional solutions by innovative devices in emerging technologies, systems level integration to policy engagement for better community. The breath of energy research at MCAST includes Device Fabrication and on-site Testing, Energy Economics and Policy, Efficient Buildings, Power Systems, Renewables and Transportation. The group specialises in applied research techniques including but not limited to optimisation, decision making and life cycle analysis.

This year the group is organising the MCAST Energy Day Conference on the 7th September (registration is free on https://goo.gl/jYfwwg) and The International Summit on Stability of Organic and Perovskites Solar Cells between the 18th and 20th October ( isos10. mcast. edu. mt/ isos10). World-class scholars and leading researchers are invited on both events.