IEEE Power and Energy Student Summit (PESS) 2023 @HSBI

German version

The IEEE PESS provides students with a window into the workings of a scientific conference and an opportunity to publish their outstanding scientific research. From the 15th to the 17th of November, nearly 60 young scientists from 13 universities in different countries gathered at the HSBI in Bielefeld to present their scientific research and to have valuable discussions with their peers.

Opening Ceremony

The conference was opened on Wednesday afternoon by the organising chair, Prof. Dr. Jens Haubrock. "The IEEE PESS is extremely important for motivating young students and promoting scientific exchange among themselves and with industry," he emphasised. Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Martin Wolter, Vice-Chairman of the IEEE Germany Power and Energy Society PES Chapter, picked up on this in his short keynote speech and gave an overview of the numerous benefits that the IEEE offers in the field of science. Oliver Müller, Head of HR at Stadtwerke Bielefeld GmbH, was there to the gap between science and industry. Motivated students are exactly what his industry needs to tackle the shortage of skilled workers and the challenges of the future. The first day of IEEE PESS then ended with two exciting presentations in a special session on the evaluation of load flow formulations for two-stage vulnerability analysis and the unconventional approach of changing grid frequency for control and stability purposes.

The Sessions

Over the next few days, the young scientists presented their research in four sessions. The first session, chaired by Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Martin Wolter, focused on simulations, the stability of electrical systems and battery storage systems. For example, the University of Stuttgart presented an interesting approach to simulating motorway fast-charging

stations with real-life user data to produce electric mobility load forecasts for forward-looking network planning. The Photovoltaics and Optimisation of Energy Systems session, chaired by the HBSI Professor Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eva Schwenzfeier-Hellkamp, covered a wide range of topics related to photovoltaic and optimization approaches for renewable energy systems. Contributions in this session ranged from the design of a building energy system using model-based optimisation to achieve the optimum balance between economic and environmental aspects, to the transfer of the circular economy approach to photovoltaic systems. In the third session, Dr Michael Kelker lead the auditorium through the papers on transmission lines and faults. One unique and exciting approach, for example, was the design of contactless electrical sensors carried by drones to monitor transmission lines. The session closed with a presentation from the transmission system operator (TSO) 50Hertz Transmission GmbH by Polina Sokolnikova. Prof. Dr. Jan Boris Loesenbeck from HSBI moderated the final session - Power Electronics. In addition to insights into a microgrid laboratory, the University of Paderborn presented a Julia-based programming library for automated modelling of decentralised electrical energy networks. All presentations were followed by lively discussions between the audience and the presenters. The poster exhibition in front of the conference area better enabled such direct exchanges in a relaxed discussion with the authors.

A Bridge between Science and Industry… and Fun!

Another highlight of the summit was an exhibition with industry partners in the main foyer of the university. Throughout the conference, all interested students and members of the university had the opportunity to visit the various stands and exhibits and to talk to industry representatives from Stadtwerke Bielefeld GmbH, Avori GmbH, Fritz Husemann GmbH & Co. KG and Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH. This was an interesting opportunity for enthusiastic prospective students to make direct contact with industries that they might one day see themselves as being a part of. 

Keynote speeches from the industry punctuated the scientific presentations. Stefanie Balzarek, founder of avori GmbH and HSBI alumna, summed up the problems of energy transition: "At the current rate of expansion, we will need 100 years for the energy revolution". Her company aims to provide a solution by automating all consulting and planning processes for the energy transition in companies. Dr Marco Stienecker of Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH took a different approach. "We live in a DC world," he said, referring to the growing number of renewable energies, battery storage systems and many other DC sources and loads. His company builds DC solutions for a wide range

of applications. Dr Nils Neusel-Lange of the local grid operator Bielefelder Netze GmbH went on to answer the question of how municipal utilities are dealing with grid expansion and transformation in his keynote speech. In addition to the scholarly proceedings, IEEE conferences are strongly devoted to the social component and the exchange of ideas. During the icebreaker on the first day, during the various breaks, and especially at the highlight of the conference, the gala dinner in the SparrenExpress, conference participants had many and diverse opportunities to network and socialise. With good music and a relaxed atmosphere, the SparrenExpress is a great place to get conversations started.

And the winner is…

Excellence should always be recognised. It was therefore a great pleasure to present the Best Paper and Best Presentation awards at IEEE PESS 2023. Marvin Meyer from the University of Paderborn won the Best Paper Award for his paper on automated modelling of distributed electrical energy networks. Yannik Hillen from the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg impressed the audience with his presentation on impedance estimation methods for high-impedance earth faults in compensated distribution networks. He took home the Best Presentation Award, which was voted for by the audience. Congratulations to these two outstanding young scientists!

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all participants for their excellent contributions and our sponsors IEEE Germany PES Chapter, Stadtwerke Bielefeld GmbH, TransnetBW GmbH, Fritz Husemann GmbH & Co. and Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH for the valuable support they provided. We are proud to announce that the IEEE PESS 2023 in Bielefeld was a great success!