The Renewable Energy Laboratory (REL),
part of the Communication and Network Engineering Department at the College of
Engineering, Prince Sultan University (PSU), successfully organized an
international webinar titled “Challenges and Trends for the Practical
Implementation of Model Predictive Control Techniques for Power Converters and
Drives” on September 8, 2025.
The keynote lecture was delivered by
Prof. Dr. Marco Rivera, IEEE Senior Member, Professor at the University of
Nottingham, UK, and Director of the FlexElec Laboratory. The session was
coordinated and hosted by Dr. Mahmoud F. Elmorshedy, Postdoctoral Researcher at
PSU’s Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Prof. Rivera’s insightful presentation
addressed the practical challenges, design considerations, and recent trends in
applying Model Predictive Control (MPC) within modern power converters and
electrical drive systems. He emphasized MPC’s advantages, including its
intuitive design, strong dynamic performance, and capability to handle
nonlinearities and system constraints-making it a promising approach for
industrial and renewable energy applications.
The webinar provided participants with
valuable technical insights into the future of intelligent control in power
electronics, highlighting the increasing role of MPC in enhancing system
efficiency, reliability, and adaptability.
This event reflects Prince Sultan
University’s ongoing commitment to fostering research excellence, knowledge
exchange, and innovation in renewable energy, power electronics, and advanced
control systems.