Next-Generation Distribution System Planning, Operation, and Control

With the deep penetration of renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, electric vehicles, and power-electronics-interfaced devices, distribution systems are evolving from passive networks into active, flexible, and highly controllable cyber-physical systems. This transformation poses new challenges and opportunities for distribution system planning, real-time operation, and advanced control. Next-generation distribution systems require coordinated planning methodologies that jointly consider network expansion, asset allocation, and flexibility resources, as well as intelligent operation and control strategies to ensure reliability, efficiency, and resilience. Meanwhile, power electronic converters such as grid-forming/grid-following inverters, solid-state transformers, and flexible power flow controllers are becoming key enablers for voltage regulation, power quality improvement, and dynamic grid support at the distribution level.This session focuses on advanced theories, methods, and applications for next-generation distribution system planning, operation, and control. The goal is to enable resilient, efficient, and intelligent distribution networks that can support high renewable penetration and evolving grid functionalities.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

1. Advanced distribution system planning considering high penetration of renewables, EVs, and energy storage;

2. Co-optimization of planning and operation for active distribution networks;

3. Distribution system operation under uncertainty;

4. Control and coordination of power converters in distribution systems;

5. Grid-forming, grid-following, and hybrid inverter control strategies;

6. Data-driven and AI-assisted planning, operation, and control methods;

7. Voltage regulation, reactive power optimization, and power quality control;

8. Electricity-hydrogen or electricity-gas or electricity-heat-gas multi-energy system planning and operation;

9. Electricity-transportation system planning and operation;

10. Renewable energy or electric vehicle control;

11. Digital twins and cyber-physical systems for distribution networks;

Chair:  

Ziyi Bai, Hubei University of Technology, China

Ziyi Bai received the B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Hainan University, Haikou, China, in 2016, the M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Hunan University, Changsha, China, in 2019, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering from University of Macau, Macau, China in 2023. She is currently working as a Lecture with the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China. Her research interests include power converter, renewable energy, and energy router.

Co-chairs: 

Da Xu, China University of Geosciences, China

Da Xu received the B.Sc. degree in automation from Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China, in 2015, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Hunan University, Changsha, China, in 2020. He is currently an Associate Professor with the China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China. His major research interests include smart grid operation and optimization and renewable energy generation.

Ying Pang, Jilin University, China

Ying Pang received the B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China, in 2015. Hereceived his M.Sc. degree and Ph.D. degree both in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Macau, Macao SAR, China, in 2018 and 2022, respectively. In 2022, he joined Jilin University, Changchun, China, where he is currentlya postdoctoral fellow. Dr. Pang was the recipient of the first prize of the Guangdong Electric Power Science and Technology Paper Award in 2022 and the recipient of the silver medal of the second China Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in 2023. His research interests include power electronics equipment in geological exploration, power filter, smart grid, renewable energy, power converter, and distributed generation.

Siyuan Guo, China Three Gorges University, China

Siyuan·Guo·was born·in·Hubei, China, in·1997. He obtained a·Ph.D degree from Hunan University·in·2026.·His research interests include multi-energy network modeling, economic dispatch, and risk assessment.