Workshop | Powering Western Australia with HIL Simulation

As an electrical engineer, Jean co-founded OPAL-RT in 1997 with the vision of equipping all engineers and scientists with advanced real-time simulation tools. Today, under his direction and technological leadership, OPAL-RT has become world-renowned for its advanced real-time simulators for mechanical and electrical systems.

Zerui Dong has been at OPAL-RT for seven years as a Power Electronics Simulation Specialist, having received both his master’s degree and PhD at Auburn University, His research interests lie in real-time simulation, pumped-storage hydropower, and renewable energy systems.

Marie-France leverages her passion for autonomous vehicles to push OPAL-RT’s growth in the niche. Her strategic mindset, coupled with her vision of seamlessly integrating advanced autonomous technologies in infrastructure, has helped her and her team to build key relationships and establish OPAL-RT in the mobility ecosystem.

Dr. Ehsan Pashajavid is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. With many years in industry and academia, Dr. Pashajavid’s research interests range from microgrids and renewable energy resources to stochastic modeling/optimization and electric vehicles. He is also the Chair of IEEE PES/PELS Western Australia Joint Chapter.

Alireza Fereidouni, Manager of AEMO’s WA System Engineering team, is responsible for engineering solutions for the South West Interconnected System, a power system network in Western Australia. His work involves power system analysis, modelling, and reporting, along with facilitating the transition to sustainable systems. A graduate of Curtin University in Perth, he has been at AEMO for more than seven years.

Marty Johnson is a Senior Power System Engineer at EPEC Group, where he oversees HIL testing and conducts grid interconnection studies for large-scale renewable projects. His interests and expertise lies in electronics and electronic protocol engineering.

SM Ferdous is a lecturer at the School of Engineering and Energy at Murdoch University. He received his PhD at the same university in 2021, and has since been involved in academia at institutions across Perth.

Dr. Zifan Lin is a Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia, having also received in PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the university. He is also a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and currently serves as Chair of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society Western Australia Chapter.

Xinan Zhang teaches at the School of Engineering, Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering at the University of Western Australia. With an academic background spanning China and Singapore, his research interests lie in power electronics, electrical machine drives and renewable energy.