IEEE Smart Grid R&D - 2020 Year in Review

By Mangaya Sivagnanam

With 2020 winding down and 2021 right around the corner, the R&D Committee wanted to thank you for supporting our cause, and we applaud your continued backing in the future.

The Research and Development (R&D) Committee continues to commit to investigating technological advancements, industry trends, and member expectations and are determined to stay on top to identify research areas and opportunities to collaborate and fill gaps, benefiting Smart Grid Domains, Sub-Domains structure.

In 2020, the R&D committee, under the leadership of outgoing chair Dr. Manuel Avendaño, developed the process of categorizing the foreseeable R&D topics that will serve to build the Smart Grid.

The R&D Committee led a successful transition in leadership in 2020. Mangaya Sivagnanam (SMIEEE) from Trane Technologies succeeded Dr. Manuel Avendaño (SMIEEE) from Southern California Edison as Chair of the committee. Mangaya Sivagnanam would like to thank the IEEE Smart Grid for the opportunity to lead this exciting and forward-thinking committee. She greatly appreciates the groundwork that Manuel laid for the success of the R&D Committee program.

In 2020, the team articulated the 2019 Smart Grid survey results and member's functional areas of interest. Faiz Ikramulla and Mangaya Sivagnanam steered the initiative to eloquently identify the most demanded topics of importance from the Global Smart Grid community and other society members. Thus the team enumerated 'Controls,' 'Standards,' 'Security,' 'IoT,' and 'Renewables' as the top five topics for further investigation to benefit the Smart Grid community.

The R&D Committee is actively working and collaborating on topics mentioned above in respective subgroups led by Ian Hiskens (Controls), Sasikala R (Standards), Salam BaniAhmed (Security), Mangaya Sivagnanam (IoT), Sudarmono Sasmono(Renewables) – to identify and work on the emerging technologies in these areas. Also, our engagement allows us to liaise with a representative from IEEE organizational units (OUs).

In 2021, the team committed to publishing white papers on the topics mentioned above, focusing on the crucial functional areas benefiting Smart Grid Domains and Subdomains structure.

As one of the noteworthy and timely contributions, we want to acknowledge our committee members Manuel Avendaño and Vishal C. Patel. "Pandemic Planning and Response in Electric Utilities: SCE's Experience, Centralized Remedial Action Schemes – The Next Line of Defense for Power Systems, and Virtual Internships in Southern California Edison."

The R&D Committee will combine efforts with the Technical Activities Committee. Our primary emphasis for 2021 will be on the collaboration strategy that enables both committees to assess Smart Grid technologies' technical maturity throughout their life cycle.

As always, the R&D Committee commits to sharing valuable content to the IEEE Smart Grid community knowledge, resources, and opportunities to participate. The main deliverable(s) for 2021 will be new content (white papers, webinars, newsletters, workshops, interviews, and more) available at the IEEE Smart Grid Resource Center.

To learn more and get involved with IEEE Smart Grid R&D, contact Mangaya Sivagnanam or Phyllis Caputo.

For a downloadable copy of the December 2020 eNewsletter which includes this article, please visit the IEEE Smart Grid Resource Center.

Mangaya Sivagnanam is a security researcher, speaker, writer, and coach. Mangaya has expertise and experience in innovation, security architecture for the web-apps, SCADA, Industrial Control Systems, Internet of Things, Mobile, Cloud Computing, Big Data Security, Smart Connected Buildings and Smart Cities. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Security Technologies | Cybersecurity and Certified in Cybersecurity and Privacy Law. She is an SME and strong advocate for cybersecurity and privacy on various industries and government entities like FPDI Food Protection and Defense Institute, a Department of Homeland Security, IEEE Smart Grid, AHRI, ASHRAE, UL, Autonomous Vehicles V2G, V2H, and IEEE Smart Cities Initiatives. She accomplished several cybersecurity research publications, standards, and keynotes in the field. Presently, her primary research foci are cybersecurity & privacy challenges in the design and interoperability to achieve advanced plant/building automation, Vehicle-to-Grid, to support energy efficiency, sustainability, and grid integration facilitating secure and resilient smart cities.

 

Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/mangaya