This innovative practice full paper describes the response to significant climate changes, where power grids have increasingly integrated inverter-based resources (IBRs) within integrated power systems (IPS), leading to challenges such as reduced system inertia and variable power generation. Effective inverter control strategies are essential to maintain the stability and resilience of these systems. Among the various inverter control types, grid-following inverters (GFLIs) are prone to frequency and voltage instabilities with higher IBR integration. Conversely, grid-forming inverters (GFMIs) offer superior control by managing both frequency and voltage at their point of common coupling, emulating the performance of traditional synchronous generators. GFMIs have emerged as a pivotal technology, garnering significant interest from both academic and industrial sectors. This paper provides an extensive review of GFMIs, emphasizing their application in undergraduate electrical engineering education. By integrating theoretical understanding with practical simulations and experiments, students can gain a comprehensive understanding of GFMIs and their critical role in modern power systems.

This research-to-practice full paper helps users prepare for blackouts and power outages by presenting a cutting-edge tool for STEM outreach. In an emergency, loads are prioritized according to the Energy Storage System Prioritization Index (ESSPI). It evaluates loads based on recovery time, power consumption, and ranking; it will soon be available as a web application. It provides a cost analysis and prioritizing index for building backup systems. By dividing loads into categories such as important, necessary, discretionary, non-essential, and disposable, the ESSPI tool is being used as an agile system design tool. Case studies show how adaptable it is to many environments, from homes to grid systems, improving energy management. Furthermore, the application educates users about renewable energy by offering cost and size assessments, specifically for Photovoltaic (PV) installations. Based on user inputs such as location, number of hours of sunlight, and length of backup, the app estimates system costs and battery size and optimizes the size of the PV system by taking shading and panel efficiency into account. To sum up, this creative tool and its intuitive online application emphasize STEM education and mark major advancements in backup system design and emergency preparedness. It helps users make cost-effective decisions by promoting knowledge of solar energy and battery technology, which is beneficial for researchers and aficionados of renewable energy sources.

This full paper presents an innovative approach to undergraduate engineering education by integrating Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Experiential Learning with traditional Lecture- Based Instruction to enhance student engagement and performance. The approach is exemplified through a project where undergraduate students develop a DC-AC inverter, control strategy, and learning experience. The objective is to bridge classroom theory with real-world application by having students design, simulate, and implement the inverter. This hands-on experience emphasizes careful consideration in choosing the appropriate topology, electronic components, and micro controller. The project illustrates how applying PBL and Experiential Learning helps students develop intuitive, creative, and critical thinking skills, addressing nuances that often go unnoticed in lecture-based learning. The paper highlights the benefits of this methodology, including improved problem-solving abilities, increased student engagement, and enhanced professional readiness. Additionally, it underscores the positive impact on workforce development and diversity, particularly through the involvement of female students in a traditionally male-dominated field. This approach not only enhances technical skills but also prepares students for advanced challenges in the field of power electronics, contributing to their academic and career trajectories.

This innovative practice full paper presents the Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition (SDC), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and how the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is providing tools, training and advisory to the participating teams on how to develop forward-thinking designs for an optimized distributed energy system. The SDC competition provide access and trainings to premium software platforms like Aurora Solar for system designs and to open-source platforms like OpenDSS for impact analysis, System Advisory Model (SAM) for financial analysis, and to the Renewable Energy and optimization (REopt) tool to obtain recommendations on how to find the optimal mix of renewable energy, conventional generation, and energy storage technologies to meet cost savings, resilience, and energy performance goals. The purpose of this paper is to share the knowledge acquired by the authors by participating in the competition, described how this project was integrated in an engineering curriculum as a Project-Based Learning (PBL) elective course and its benefits, and to incentivize other universities to participate in future SDC competitions.