Renewable and AusNet Electrical Engineering Labs

The Renewable Energy and AusNet Electrical Engineering Labs cover a wide range of electrical engineering concepts including fundamental properties of electrical protection systems, electrical transmission networks, AC and DC motors and generators, and renewable energy technologies.

The labs are equipment with high-end and modern education systems and can be used for a range of purposes including simple practicals, all the way through to complex transmission topologies where power losses need to be simulated.

Students in the electrical and electronics, and mechatronics degrees, along with students in their final-year project use the labs. Higher degree by research students undertaking their masters or PhD, as well as academic staff, also use the labs for research projects.

The labs and equipment are designed to be modular to support a wide range of education needs.

Equipment contained in these spaces include:

• A large range of LabVolt modules for use with the LabVolt workstations.
• Single and three-phase transformers.
• Terco Power System Trainer, including ABB protection relays.
• A range of motors and generators, single and three phase.
• dSpace hardware in loop systems – used to validate simulation models by including physical hardware in the simulation loop.
• Solar training modules – used to explore the principals of PV cells such as operation at maximum power point, effects of partial shading and effects of temperature.
• Permanent magnet generators and wind turbine emulators – used together to demonstrate fundamental operational characteristics of wind turbine systems.
• Power electronics modules – used to study supporting technologies such as grid connect inverters and DC-DC boost converters.
• Hydrogen fuel cells – used to study the integration of energy storage systems with renewable energy sources.
• Industrial automation systems, PLC and SCADA hardware.

Our partners become valued members of the wider Deakin engineering family, not just our school. Opportunities to partner with us include work-integrated learning and industry-based learning and placements, student projects, and commercial research projects and services.

Deakin offers the following study and research options:

• Undergraduate students can study the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).
• Postgraduate students can study through our Master of Engineering (Professional), specialising in electrical and renewable energy engineering.
• Research studies can be undertaken through our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) higher degree by research degrees.