Climate Change: Resilience Planning for Critical Energy Infrastructure

Dr. Moein Manbachi

P.h.D., P.Eng., SMIEEE | Project Leader

Dr. Moein Manbachi is a Project Leader with the Smart Microgrid Applied Research Team (SMART) within the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation of BC Institute of Technology in Vancouver. He was formerly a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia.

Dr. Manbachi holds a Ph.D. degree in Mechatronic Systems Engineering from Simon Fraser University and has over 15 years of experience in academia, industry, and R&D in the areas of power systems and critical energy ifrastructure cybersecurity. He was the author/co-author of more than 50 technical papers published in high-ranked journals and conference proceedings.

Dr. Manbachi is an IEEE senior member and an active member of CIGRE (membership through BCIT institute) and Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. His main research areas include, but are not limited to, smart grids, advanced substation automation systems, critical energy infrastructure cybersecurity, power system optimization, and applications of digital twin technologies in power systems.

This course primarily explores the profound effects of climate change on critical energy infrastructures, with a particular focus on extreme weather events such as wildfires, floods, droughts, and severe storms. Students will be able to learn how these climate-related events affect energy infrastructure, causing grid stress and disrupting energy infrastructure. There is a strong emphasis in this course on the importance of resilience measures in mitigating climate change's impacts on energy infrastructure, as well as fostering adaptability to environmental changes.
 

Seminar Description

The course also examines advanced/innovative smart technologies that could potentially enhance grid resilience against severe climate conditions. Participants will learn how such technologies and solutions monitor, predict, and respond to climate-induced stress on our energy infrastructure. Through real-world scenarios and case studies, the course will provide practical examples of how to safeguard energy infrastructure from climate change-related challenges.

By the end of this course, participants will learn the basics of how resilient energy infrastructure can be built, and to effectively contribute to the development and implementation of climate-resilient strategies within the energy sector, participants will gain a deeper understanding of stress levels, weak links/points, adaptability measures, and the utilization of novel climate-resilient solutions.

Objectives

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

• Understand the multifaceted impact of climate change on energy infrastructure, with a specific focus on extreme weather events such as wildfires, floods, droughts, and severe storms
• Analyze the potential grid stress induced by climate-related events and assess their disruptive effects on energy infrastructure
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of resilience measures essential for mitigating the impact of climate change on energy infrastructures and supporting adaptability to evolving environmental conditions
• Explore innovative technologies and solutions designed to enhance the resilience of the energy systems, gaining basic insights into their monitoring, prediction, and response capabilities against extreme climate-related events
• Develop fundamental knowledge around successful implementations of smart technologies in safeguarding energy grids against challenges posed by climate change through case studies and real-world scenarios