Niko Andrianos
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I chose to pursue a graduate degree to get a taste of researching while still exploring topics I'm interested in, such as renewable energies and control. Finding that balance in industry was difficult right out of my bachelor's.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
After doing my undergrad at UBC in the Integrated Engineering program, I enjoyed my experience so much that I decided to stay longer! I found UBC to be a special place; once the opportunity came up with my supervisor, I was happy to take it.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has a wide breadth of specialists and projects for engineers of all backgrounds that can apply their knowledge to exciting projects.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
The amazing diversity and work-life balance. Vancouver's moderate climate enables lots of fun outdoor activities.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
Definitely perseverance. Graduate school can be very non-linear. Perserverance keeps you on track when bouncing around new ideas.
What do you like to do for fun or relaxation?
Playing rugby! I play rugby for the UBC Men's Rugby team.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
Stick with it and don't give up! Finding your gap in the literature is the hardest part.
Learn more about Niko's research
Power systems are increasingly integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) to meet decarbonization targets, yet inverter-based generation reduces system inertia and increases the need for fast-acting dynamic ancillary services. Methods such as virtual power plants (VPPs) aggregate heterogeneous DERs to provide such services. However, existing
approaches do not directly match prescribed dynamic responses for fast frequency and voltage regulation while respecting explicit network constraint enforcement within the VPP. My research proposes a model predictive control (MPC) framework for dynamic VPPs that tracks transmission grid-specified behavior encoded by a desired transfer function while enforcing device and feeder-level constraints. We have demonstrated through simulated case studies that our framework can accurately track frequency and voltage regulation targets with practical real-time feasibility under suitable disturbances and graceful degradation when requests exceed VPP capacity. The modular design accommodates diverse grid codes and DER portfolios, positioning the framework as a practical tool for evolving ancillary service markets.