Lin Zhang
About Lin Zhang
Lin Zhang is a Senior System Performance Analysis Engineer at American Electric Power, specializing in utility-scale battery storage projects. With a strong academic background in Electrical Engineering and Power Systems, he has contributed to various research and development initiatives in the energy sector since 2010.
Work at American Electric Power
Lin Zhang has been employed at American Electric Power (AEP) as a System Performance Analysis Engineer Sr since 2019. In this role, he provides technical expertise and compliance guidance for various projects, including AEP's first utility-scale battery storage project, the Middle Creek Battery Project. His work focuses on enhancing the operational excellence of the power grid, particularly in the area of battery storage technology.
Education and Expertise
Lin Zhang holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, obtained from 2002 to 2006. He furthered his education with a Master's degree in Power Systems from Wuhan University, completed from 2006 to 2008. Zhang earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Power Systems from Washington State University, where he studied from 2010 to 2014. His academic background supports his expertise in power systems and energy storage.
Background
Before joining AEP, Lin Zhang held various positions in the energy sector. He worked as a Research Assistant at Washington State University from 2010 to 2014. He also served as a Power Systems Engineer at Electric Power Group, LLC from 2014 to 2018 and later as Director of Advanced Applications R&D/Sr. Power Systems Engineer at the same company from 2018 to 2019. Zhang gained early experience as an Application Engineering Intern and Power Systems Engineer Intern at Alstom Grid in 2012 and 2013.
Achievements
Lin Zhang has contributed to significant advancements in the energy sector. He developed an application for early detection of failing transformers using deep learning algorithms, specifically recurrent neural networks (RNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM). He also performed NERC compliance studies and conducted research on dynamic stability using big data and deep learning algorithms, utilizing tools like TensorFlow. Additionally, Zhang has developed and implemented distributed energy resource (DER) related models and controls using Matlab/Simulink.
Industry Involvement
Lin Zhang serves as the primary industry advisor for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Program 94, which focuses on Energy Storage and Distributed Generation. His role involves exploring and initiating new technologies that enhance the operational capabilities of the power grid. Zhang has also conducted power quality analysis and harmonic assessments for HVDC/FACTS devices, contributing to the field's understanding of power system dynamics.