Subject: Considerations When Integrating Renewable Energy Sources Into The Transmission Grid

Speaker: James McIver, P.E., Principal Application Engineer, Siemens Power Transformers USA

Date: May 11, 2010

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Dinner started at 6:00 p.m.)

Location: Ricardo’s Mexican Restaurant, 4930 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89103
(northwest corner of Flamingo & Decatur)

Fee:
$20 for IEEE members
$22 for non-members
Student chapter officers were free

Grid Access Issues for Wind Power
As sizes of planned wind farms (WFs) continue to increase, utility engineers will confront many issues never faced when “wind power” meant an isolated wind tower directly connected to a distribution feeder.

This presentation briefly introduced two levels of technical concerns for integration of WFs into existing power systems:
Interconnection Issues at the Power System Level
Transmission and Operational Impacts

About the presenter
Jim McIver, P.E., has 35 years experience in the North American electric power industry. In January 2004, he joined VA Tech – USA as Technology Director, Transformers Business Division. During Siemens’ acquisition of VA Tech, he assisted integration of the two groups’ R&D staff. He now serves as Principal Application Engineer for Siemens Transformers US, assisting with special product applications.

As Nevada Power Staff Engineer, he managed strategic supply partnerships for design, procurement and maintenance of transformers, breakers and switchgear. During his tenure, over 8000 MVA of Elin transformers, shunt reactors and phase shifters were installed in Southern Nevada.

Mr. McIver was GE Senior Application Engineer and manager of distribution system research that grew five-fold & received 3 GE Managerial awards. As a consultant, he specified phase shifters, provided forensic analysis of transformer field failures and developed gas-in-oil diagnostics for sealed-tank, network transformers.

He began his career with Public Service Co. of NM, before joining GE in transformer R&D. Mr. McIver developed component and assembly techniques for GE’s first fiber optic temperature sensors and investigated winding mechanical integrity in advanced (gas-insulated) transformers.

Mr. McIver is member of Eta Kappa Nu and IEEE Transformer Committee, and is Professional Engineer in the State of New York. He earned his MSEE from Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute and has authored IEEE and CIGRE papers on power transformers, engineering economics and harmonics.