Claudio Cañizares
The University of Macau (UM) held a two-session talk titled ‘Exploring the Full Spectrum of Microgrids: Definition, Technologies, and Examples’ as part of the IOTSC Distinguished Lecture Series. The speaker was Claudio Cañizares, fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, who shared insights into the current applications, key technologies, and future development trends of microgrids.
Speaking at the event, UM Rector Yonghua Song noted that Prof Cañizares is a University Professor and Hydro One Endowed Chair in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, and executive director of the Waterloo Institute Sustainable Energy. He is a fellow of several prestigious professional bodies, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering (CSEE). He is also the chair of the IEEE Fellow Nomination & Appointment Committee. Rector Song also highlighted Prof Cañizares’s long-standing commitment to research in the areas of modelling, simulation, computation, stability, control, and optimisation of power and energy systems. His research has been widely cited internationally and has had a profound impact on the global power and energy sector.
During the talk, Prof Cañizares said that microgrids have emerged as a transformative solution for power and energy systems. However, he added that there are several technical challenges in terms of voltage regulation, transient stability, and multi-energy coordination. He emphasised that advancing microgrid research and applications is essential for enabling the large-scale integration of distributed renewable energy and ensuring the secure, low-carbon, and efficient operation of energy systems. He noted that this line of research also contributes to understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying the operation of future energy systems. Prof Cañizares also presented case studies, cutting-edge research, and trends in microgrid development across several countries in the Americas, offering valuable insights and real-world examples to the students, faculty, and industry professionals in attendance.
In addition, Prof Cañizares engaged with the audience during the Q&A and discussion session, which was moderated by Zhang Hongcai, assistant professor in the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City at UM.
