Seeking problem solvers
Power, water security and waste are some of the biggest long-term challenges of the 21st century, and CQUniversity’s Cairns campus is ensuring that it is doing its bit to contribute to positive outcomes in these spaces.
CQU Cairns is producing graduates in engineering and information technology who will leave university fully prepared to take on the indemand jobs of the future.
The local campus employs worldclass researchers who are working hard on opportunities to ensure that the region’s future in emerging technologies is strong.
Dr Kianoush Emami is one of the world-class research and teaching staff based at the CQU Cairns campus, and is an expert in smart grid technology.
The engineering lecturer said such technology was an emerging area within the engineering field.
“Smart grid technology is an exciting way forward,” Dr Emami said.
“Before delving into smart grid, we first need to understand the shortcomings of our current power production and distribution.
“In traditional power systems, our electricity is generated in centralised power plants. Conventional power plants run on fossil fuels – coal, gas, etc – and produce pollution.
“The generated electricity then needs to be transmitted via transmission networks to the consumer, covering long distances.
“When electricity is transmitted, to
Our graduates are wellequipped to ... come up with solutions to the issues that we will face in the future.
CQU LECTURER KIANOUSH EMAMI
avoid excessive power loss over distance, the voltage needs to be increased to a high level.
“At the substation the voltage gets reduced and then is distributed to households. Power system is the overarching term for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity.” Dr Emami said, in comparison, smart grid is not a single device or a complete system.
“Smart grid is the conventional power system, plus a community of decentralised power generators, all of which are interconnected, and include the end consumer,” he said.
“In a smart grid, each element in the chain of generation, transmission, distribution and end user (consumer) can be monitored and controlled.
“At CQU we offer courses in engineering in the fields of electrical, mechanical, civil, mechatronics and mining, and our inter-disciplinary collaborative approach ensures our graduates are well-equipped to understand and therefore come up with solutions to the issues that we will face in the future.”