State-of-the-Art Facilities
The Grid Resiliency Lab at the University of South Carolina focuses on the design, development, and deployment of power converters across a wide power range and their application to electric grid aiming to enhance resiliency, efficiency, and flexibility. The power rating ranges from ultra-compact 5V, 5W converters to high-power medium voltage 3 MW systems. Our work focuses on compact, high power, high frequency, and medium-voltage systems applied to various grid-connected systems including distributed generations, energy storage, electronic loads, data centers, and distribution systems. By investigating both low- and high-power converters, the lab bridges the gap between device-level behavior and grid-scale integration, supporting innovations that impact everything from consumer electronics to grid-scale generations and loads.
- Unique 0–13.8 kV, 300 kVA medium-voltage testbed
- Unique 0–2400 V, 300 kVA testbed
- Five labs with over 6000 sq-ft and over 500kVA power supply capabilities
- Pad-mounted transformer for realistic equipment interfaces
- High-power AC/DC sources; HV/HF measurement equipment
- Converters with IGBT, SiC MOSFET, and GaN devices
- Fast FPGA-based control setups
- Hardware in loop setups with National Instrument Compact RIO, Typhoon
- Active ONR, DOE, DOD programs at USC
- Medium-voltage solar PV inverter
- Medium-voltage solid-state transformers (SST)
- Compact AC/DC converters for diverse applications
- Digital Twin for Electric Ships (ONR)
- High-power isolated DC fast chargers
Core Capabilities
Flexible bays for AC/DC, DC/DC, and DC/AC converter testing up to MW-class.
Real-time control prototyping and disturbance playback with NI CompactRIO & Typhoon.
Dedicated setup for testing DC power distribution and protection schemes.
High-precision power analyzers, HV differential probes, and EMI pre-compliance tools.
Software Toolchain
Gallery
Safety is our top priority. All lab members undergo NFPA 70E onboarding and regular training. All visits are escorted, and strict adherence to PPE and safety boundaries is enforced.