Around the state there are many research and development initiatives currently underway. Scroll through the list of them or click on an instituion’s name to see their project(s) directly: City University of New York | Hofstra University | New York Institute of Technology | Polytechnic Institute of New York University | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | State University of New York at Albany | State University of New York at Buffalo | State University of New York at Stony Brook | University of Rochester.

Click here for a summary document with more details of New York State R&D Initiatives.


City University of New York
1. Large-Scale Energy Storage for Solar and Conventional Power Plants: At non-peak, excess steam from boiler runs through storage vessels. Reverse flow of fluid back through the vessel regenerates superheat steam to drive auxiliary turbines at peak.

2. Electrochemical Energy Storage for Grid Applications: Developing economical large-scale batteries with storage capacity for grid applications. The focus has been on zinc-based anodes with either nickel oxide or air cathodes. No performance degradation is seen over many hundred deep charge/discharge cycles. Large-scale demo is expected in 2010.

3. Metal Particulate Regeneration for Energy Storage: Next-generation decoupled flow reactor system for medium to large-scale stationary energy storage. Goal is to use abundant, redundantly sourced materials such as zinc to create “infinite cycle” batteries with minimal scheduled maintenance.

4. Mobility Support for Wireless Sensor Networks: Design wireless sensor networks supporting mobility, QoS, and for power saving and smart grid.

5. IPv6 Architecture and Mobility Support for Low Rate WPAN: Design a novel sensor network that can support IPv6 connectivity.

6. Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT)—CCNY Joint Lab: Research for wireless sensor networks including MAC and mesh routing and their industrial applications through the participation of international standards such as ZigBee and IEEE 802.15.4 and 802.15.5 Wireless Personal Area networks Mesh.

7. Army Research Lab’s CTA (Collaborative Technology Alliance): Focuses on multimedia QoS support in Wireless Mobile ad hoc networks, Multicasting architecture for MANET, Meshed Tree routing algorithm, Server Pooling, and component-based routing algorithms.
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Hofstra University, Hempstead
1. Stability of Complex Networks: The August 14, 2003, power failure may be considered as a rapidly propagating network disease in a system developed to provide efficient and stable power generation and distribution. This analysis includes appropriate failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA).
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New York Institute of Technology, Old Westbury
1. Solar Carport: NYIT will develop a scalable PV platform that can be extrapolated to lots of any size. They will also analyze the economic merit of the vehicle-to-grid strategy and propose methods to improve the viability. Project Manager: Daniel Rapka; Subcontractor: Empower, Island Park, NY.

2. Green Campus: On-campus projects including changes in lighting, waste generation and recycling.
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Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn
1. Universal Controller for Interconnection of Dist Generators with Utility Lines at Customer Level Voltages: Build a prototype of a universal controller to interconnect “small” distributed generation units and utility lines at 120/208 V. Scope is to connect synchronous, induction and power electronics DGs of up to 2MW.

2. Evaluation of 3-Phase Bolted Short-Circuits on Distr Networks w/ Customers’ Distributed Generators: This study addresses the effect of distributed generators, specifically squirrel cage induction generators, on 3-f bolted short-circuit fault currents to make sure that they do not interfere with the interruption capability of circuit breakers.

3. Fault Analysis on Distribution Networks Having Static Converter Systems: Simulation studies on effects of distributed generators on fault currents and operation of network protectors are currently being performed.

4. Phase-Angle as an Additional Indicator of Imminent Voltage Collapse in Electric Transmission and Distribution Systems: A GPS-based measurement technique was developed to assist control room staff in monitoring and making decisions about the state of electrical power networks. The study explored successfully, including a field test, the use of the phase-angle between two system voltages, one at a strong bus and the other at a weak bus, as an indicator of imminent voltage collapse at the weak bus.

5. Design and Validation of a Real-Time Thermal Rating System for Distribution Cable Installations: Objective is to obtain more accurate ratings of cables.

6. Development of New Toroidal Distribution Transformers: Build a prototype of a distribution transformer using a core made of a continuous steel strip shaped like a doughnut (toroid) and wind the coils around. This gapless construction allows smaller, more efficient, lighter, and cooler transformers.

7. Power Quality with Non-Linear Loads: A portion of the National Grid distribution network in the vicinity of the Brookhaven National Lab was modeled and simulated. Mitigation strategies to alleviate the effects of BNL nonlinear loads on other customers were proposed.

8. Load Model of Secondary Network Distribution Buses Under Varying Voltage Conditions: A ZIP model of a typical load has been developed, and an accurate load model was presented to estimate the actual customer demand (P and Q), from the nominal demand (P0 and Q0) and the actual voltage level over the range 60-130 V.

9. Mitigation of Voltage Disturbances Caused by Non-Linear Operation of Massive Electrical Loads: This study addressed an existing problem on the effect on the distribution network of heavy non-linear electrical loads operating intermittently and creating severe voltage sags.
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy
1. Future Electricity Distribution Grid of NYS: A Test Bed Validation: Goals are to gain an understanding of the distribution grid performance under a high degree of DG penetration by creating a mock distribution grid for use as a test bed for DG technology; and analyze performance of various new devices and technologies in presence of considerable DG.

2. Phasor Data Measurement Research: Development of advanced concepts and techniques for analysis of synchronized phasor data distributed throughout the Eastern Interconnection; development of integrated phasor systems with data assembling, routing, and storage functions.

3. New York State Phasor Measurement Network: Installation of new PMUs; deployment of a comprehensive phasor system in NY Power System.

4. Scalable and Flat Controls for Reliable Power Grid Operation with High Renewable Penetration: Investigation of power grid operation given a large renewable penetration; in collaboration with Univ. of Tennessee, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Northeastern Univ.

5. Advanced Reactive Power Dispatch Concepts & Algorithms/On-line FACTS Controller Training Simulator: Development of a simulator and dispatch system for Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) for the Korean Power System.
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State University of New York at Albany
1. Developing Crisis Management Plans in the Event of Cross-Border Failures: A consortium of faculty from University at Albany and a number of European universities is using advanced modeling and simulation technologies to develop crisis management plans in the event of cross-border power grid failures.
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State University of New York at Buffalo
1. Neural Network Pattern Recognition Schemes for Identification and Location of Faults in Thyristor-Controlled Series-Compensated [TCSC] HV Power Transmission Lines: Development, implementation and testing of fault identification and location modules for protecting HV power lines with Thyristor-Controlled Series-Capacitor (TCSC). The developed modules make use of the key capabilities of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and various attributes to approach their highly accurate decision.

2. Analysis and Verification of a Solid State Fault Interrupter Utilizing Advanced Power Semiconductors: Evaluate newly proposed solid state fault interrupter devices for electrical and thermo-mechanical reliability.

3. High Reliability SiC Power Switch Module Packaging: Applying aluminum-based packaging to produce a complete 60kW power electronic system. The final results will fabricate and demonstrate a complete multi-chip, power semiconductor, module for high temperature SiC devices operating at greater than 250C.

4. Impact of PHEVs on the Utility Grid: Development of a comprehensive software tool to assess impact of PHEVs on electric utility grid.

5. Stand-Alone System for Fully-Integrated Monitoring of Gas-Insulated Power Transmission and Distribution Components: Provide a proof-of-concept demonstration of an integrated High-Power Multi-Parameter Sensor (HiPer-MiPS) suitable for application to power-line monitoring, capable of monitoring E-field, B-fields, pressure and temperature.
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State University of New York at Stony Brook
1. Optimization of Electric Power Grid Operation & Security, Based on Load Forecast and Risk Assessments: Developed accurate methods for short-term and long-term load forecasting that take into account local weather conditions. Based on these methods, the software provides probabilistic estimations of future peak loads and capacity evaluation at various Load Pockets. This software is in production use by LIPA for several years and its use led to significant savings.

2. Upgrade of Required Electric Grid Reliability Calculations, and Software Migration to the New York Blue Gene Supercomputer: Assembled by Stony Brook, GE Energy, and the New York Independent System Operator to improve electric grid reliability forecasting.

3. Low-Cost Universal Energy-Harvesting Sensor Platform for Infrastructure and Environmental Monitoring and Protection: Project aims at expediting transition to the manufacturing stage of the Universal Sensor Platform with Energy Harvesting (USPEH) developed by Stony Brook. The platform utilizes energy harvested from environmental sources to support various sensors (magnetic, acoustical, optical, etc.) and communication devices — eliminating the need for batteries or power wiring.

4. Study of Stochastic System in Energy Projects: Major research includes control, optimization, and modeling of stochastic systems and their applications to energy generation, delivery, and utilization. The main goals are improving the electric network reliability by reducing the probability of blackouts; decreasing usage of natural resources by improving efficiency of generation, transmission, distribution & usage; and reducing maintenance costs and repair times.
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University of Rochester
1. Applying Chip-Level Power Grid Design to the Smart Grid: This project will exploit the wealth of smart technology applied at the semiconductor chip level to the state/national grid in an effort to apply similar intelligence to enhance power efficiency and enable effective power distribution to the state power grid.

2. Cross-Layer Design for Sensor Management in Wireless Sensor Networks: Research focus is on managing the sensors and the network using a cross-layer design to make the most efficient use of the energy-constrained wireless sensors.

3. Sentry Integrated Circuit and Blue-Noise Modulated Sigma-Delta ADC for InfoSensor Applications: Developing an ultra-low power integrated circuit for efficient spectral analysis in vibration and audio monitoring applications. Such ADCs are critical elements in precision machine monitoring applications related to energy production, such as windmill gearboxes, turbines and other rotating machinery.

4. Development of Wireless Vibration Sensor: When complete the new sensor will have applications in machine monitoring applications ranging from generators, electric transformers, pumps, motors, and wind turbines to heavy construction equipment, aircraft and even automotive engine and drive-train components.
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