Cardiff University Description

Cardiff University is one of Britain’s major centres of higher education. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, Cardiff was ranked 15th out of more than 150 universities (based on “research power”).  In addition, external teaching quality assessments consistently rank the University among the best in the UK.

The Centre for Integrated Renewable Energy Generation and Supply (CIREGS) of Cardiff University was established in 2007. Recognising the changes that are anticipating in the future electricity supply system, CIREGS is developing research capacity in integrated renewable energy generation and supply, including “Smart Grids” of the future and contributing towards meeting the UK medium-term renewable energy targets. The research team of CIREGS, led by Prof. Nick Jenkins, has a track record of undertaking a number of EU and other funded projects.

Key Personnel

Prof. Nick Jenkins joined Cardiff University in March 2008 as a Professor of Renewable Energy Generation and Supply. From 1992 to 2008, he was at the University of Manchester (UMIST), being appointed a Professor in 1998. His previous career had included 14 years industrial experience. He spent 6 years working on transmission and distribution systems in the UK and Bangladesh. He then worked on renewable energy technologies with positions in industry as Engineering Manager of BP Solar Pakistan and Projects Director for Wind Energy Group, a manufacturer of large wind turbines. While at the University he has developed teaching and research activities in both electrical power engineering and renewable energy.  He is a Fellow of the IET, IEEE and Royal Academy of Engineering. He serves on the Advisory Council of the CEU Smart Grids Technology Platform. In 2009 he was the Shimizu Visiting Professor at Stanford University where he taught a graduate course on Grid Integration of Renewable Energy. He is co-author of 6 books and more than 50 journal research papers.

Dr. Liana M. Cipcigan is a Lecturer at the Cardiff University. Her most recent position was Research Associate at Durham University worked in the EPSRC founded project, ‘Intelligent active energy management for small scale energy zones’. Previously she was collaborating with the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania and Alberta University, Canada. Her research experience is covering active network management techniques, multi-agent control systems and integration of renewable energy into electrical networks.

Dr. Jianzhong Wu joined Cardiff University as a lecturer from the University of Manchester where he was working with Prof. Nick Jenkins as a research fellow. His current research activities are focused on Energy Infrastructure and SmartGrids. He has extensive expertise in the areas of power system analysis and optimization, DG integration and analysis of the combined electricity/gas/heating/cooling networks.

Dr. Janaka Ekanayake joined Cardiff University from the University of Manchester where he was working with Prof. Jenkins on a number of UK and EU funded projects. His current research activities are focused on wind power and SmartGrids. He has published more than 20 journal papers and has also co authored one book.