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Advanced / Expert Automation & Control

Advanced Engineering, Stability, and Regulation of Grid-Integrated Solar PV Systems

Technical Standards Focus: IEEE 1547-2018 (Categories I-III), UL 1741 SB, IEC 62898 (Microgrids), Kenya Electricity Distribution Grid Code, and EPRA Open Access Regulations 2026.

📅 Date Feb 22 - 26, 2027
📍 Location Nairobi, Kenya
⏱️ Duration 5 Days Intensive
💰 Investment USD 750 / KES 98,000
🎯

Target Audience

Engineers, Solar Technicians, Facility Managers, and Policy Stakeholders.

Course Curriculum

Day 1: Advanced Inverter Physics & Dynamic Grid Support

The course begins at the hardware level, exploring how modern power electronics transition from passive generation sources into dynamic grid stabilizers.

01

Module 1: Smart Inverter Topology & Grid-Forming (GFM) Control

  • Grid-Following (GFL) vs. Grid-Forming (GFM) inverters: Virtual Synchronous Machine (VSM) architecture.
  • Droop control loops for active power-frequency and reactive power-voltage.
  • Providing synthetic/virtual inertia to low-inertia grids using supercapacitors and BESS.
02

Module 2: Advanced Power Quality & Harmonic Mitigation

  • High-order harmonic generation (switched-mode frequencies) and resonance conditions on long radial feeders.
  • Design and tuning of active power filters and LCL coupling filters.
  • Mitigating Phase Voltage Unbalance and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) under variable cloud cover.
03

Module 3: IEEE 1547 & UL 1741 SB Compliance

  • Deep dive into ride-through categories (Voltage Ride-Through - VRT, Low Voltage Ride-Through - LVRT, and Frequency Ride-Through - FRT).
  • Dynamic Voltage Support (DVS) during asymmetric grid faults.
Day 2: Power System Modeling & Grid Impact Studies

Day 2 transitions to software and system-level modeling, teaching participants how to simulate a plant's impact on a utility network.

04

Module 4: Static & Dynamic Load Flow Analysis

  • Setting up grid models in DigSILENT PowerFactory or ETAP.
  • Modeling the PV plant as a PQ or PV node under extreme transient conditions.
  • Calculating dynamic thermal line ratings and transformer loading.
05

Module 5: Short-Circuit & Protection Coordination

  • Inverter fault current limitations and its impact on traditional overcurrent protection.
  • Adaptive protection schemes and directional overcurrent relay configurations for bidirectional power flows.
  • Anti-islanding algorithms: Active (frequency shift, reactive power shift) vs. Passive techniques.
06

Module 6: Hosting Capacity & Voltage Stability Analysis

  • Mathematical determination of Grid Hosting Capacity without upgrading infrastructure.
  • Evaluating voltage sags, swells, and rapid voltage changes (RVC)
Day 3: Hybridization, Storage (BESS), and Microgrid Control

Day 3 addresses the vital integration of storage and control systems needed to smooth VRE intermittency and enable dispatchability.

07

Module 7: Utility-Scale BESS Integration Engineering

  • Sizing and placement of BESS for Ramp-Rate Control.
  • Black-start capability implementation using coordinated BESS and PV assets.
  • DC-coupled vs. AC-coupled utility-scale architectures: Efficiency and control speed comparison.
08

Module 8: Microgrid Energy Management & EMS Orchestration

  • Hierarchical control structures: Primary (local inverter loops), Secondary (microgrid controllers), and Tertiary (utility dispatch coordination).
  • Seamless transition orchestration: Grid-connected to intentional islanding modes and back.
09

Module 9: SCADA, Telemetry & Interoperability Protocols

  • Implementing IEEE 1815 (DNP3), Modbus TCP, and IEC 61850 protocols for utility communications.
  • Integrating localized meteorological stations with predictive plant controllers.
Day 4: Regulatory Engineering & Market Integration

Day 4 deconstructs the legal, structural, and financial frameworks governing grid connections, with a focus on the modern East African landscape.

10

Module 10: The Kenyan Regulatory Architecture (2024–2026 Focus)

  • Examing the structural impact of the Energy (Net-Metering) Regulations 2024 and the 1 MW C&I capacity cap.
  • The 2026 Open Access Regulations: How private solar generators can legally bypass KPLC bulk supply monopolies using wheeling agreements.
11

Module 11: Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) & Grid Codes

  • Deconstructing the Kenya Electricity Distribution Grid Code and transmission network connection requirements.
  • Negotiating advanced PPA clauses: Deemed Generated Energy Payments during utility-enforced curtailment, "Take-or-Pay" risk allocation, and system stability penalties.
12

Module 12: Interconnection Application Workflows

  • The complete administrative path through EPRA (Class T3 requirements), KPLC, Ketraco, and NEMA (ESIA compliance).
Day 5: Advanced Economic Modeling, Forecasting, and Field Simulation

The final day focuses on data-driven operations, financial stress-testing, and simulated real-world problem solving.

13

Module 13: High-Accuracy Generation Forecasting

  • Using machine learning models and satellite imaging for short-term (15-minute ahead) and day-ahead solar forecasting.
  • Financial penalties for generation deviation under modern spinning-reserve utility rules.
14

Module 14: LCOE, LCOS, and Project Bankability Architecture

  • Advanced financial modeling: Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) combined with Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS).
  • Calculating the asset depreciation effects of extreme cycling and thermal degradation on utility-scale BESS.
15

Module 15: Capstone Advanced Simulation Workshop

  • 📋 Live Case Study Simulation:
  • Designing an interconnection scheme for a hypothetical 50 MW Solar + 20 MW BESS plant in Nakuru, Kenya.
  • Participants will determine inverter settings, complete a mock EPRA compliance profile, and structure a risk-mitigated wheeling strategy under the 2026 Open Access rules.

🚀 Advanced Learning Outcomes

By the end of this 5-day course, participants will be able to:

  • ✔ Configure and Model grid-forming smart inverters to provide active frequency and voltage support using simulation software.
  • ✔ Design and Coordinate protection systems capable of handling bidirectional, low-fault current profiles typical of inverter-heavy grids.
  • ✔ Execute dynamic hosting capacity and voltage stability calculations for complex distribution networks.
  • ✔ Leverage and Monetize the 2026 Open Access and wheeling regulations to structure third-party private power sales in East Africa.
  • ✔ Mitigate the financial risks of generation deviations using optimized BESS sizing and predictive forecasting tools.

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