Research Group(s)

• Electrical Energy and Power Systems

Dr Haiyu Li (BSc, MSc, PhD, CEng, MIET, MIEEE) is a Reader and an expert of "Power Systems Digitisation and Automation" with emphasis on the applied sciences for the development of more flexible and sustainable electric power systems or "Smart Grid" for the future. His previous industry career included 5 years (1985-1989) research and development experience in the First Research Institute of  the Ministry of Information Industry in Shanghai, China, and 2 years (3/1998- 1999) R&D experience in AREVA T&D Power System Protection and Control Ltd (formerly ALSTOM), Stafford, UK.

Dr Li’s recent research actives mainly involve (i) “Active distribution network voltage management systems” and (ii) “IEC61850 digital substation and intellegent systems”. By proposing flexible control of tap changers of distribution transformers to provide alternative frequency and reactive power ancillary services to transmission networks, new business opportunities are created for UK distribution network operators. Based on this work, his journal paper won IEEE Power Energy Society Prize Paper in 2017. The generalization of the Customer Load Active System Service (CLASS) method in the paper has generated a positive impact on the academic research in this area worldwide. The economic benefit by deploying CLASS technology is evaluated as an expected £100m over 25 years to UK north west customers and £300m over 25 years to the UK customers. His research in the IEC61850 digital substation automation systems area has also started to yield high impact on the UK power industry. He helped UK transmission system operators including National Grid, Scottish Power Energy Networks and Scottish Southern Energy to roll out digital substation automation technologies and make next generation substations more flexible and sustainable. The Virtual Site Acceptance Testing and Training (VSATT) project has successfully established the VSATT test platform at Manchester and demonstrated how multiple vendor’s equipment by 5 key suppliers can achieve interoperability on a 400kV full digital substation in a virtual real-time simulation environment. In addition, he helped Scottish Power Energy Networks to win £11m Ofgem FITNESS project as the academic lead. FITNESS project team won the “Sustainable Development Award” category in 2017 Scottish Green Energy Awards. Currently he has started a NG funded project titled "IEC61850 Cyber Resilient Electrical Subsaiton Technologies (CREST)".

He has published 20 Journal papers (10 in IEEE/IET) with one being awarded the IEEE PES Prize Paper 2017, 2 brochures (CIGRE and CIRED), 2 patents and about 100 published conference papers with a H-index of 17 (Google Scholar) and 11 (Scopus). He is a Member of IEEE and IET and a Chartered Engineer.

My research interests are:

Power systems digitisation and automation including (i) Smart Grid – active distribution network voltage control and (ii) digital technologies – IEC61850 digital substation automation systems, cyber security and resiliency.