Florida Atlantic: Transforming the Energy Sector

An innovative public-private partnership is boosting cutting-edge research in smart technologies, energy sector products and workforce development demanded by modern-day power delivery.

Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) recently unveiled the FPL Center for Intelligent Energy Technologies (InETech), thanks to a $1 million gift from NextEra Energy Foundation, FPL’s charitable arm. The first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence-enabled center is housed at the state-of-the-art Engineering East building on the University’s Boca Raton campus.

The FPL InETech Center is designed to mimic FPL’s control center for smart grid — a complex power generation, transmission and distribution network — that uses leading-edge technology to predict and prevent future outages. FPL’s smart grid includes about six million smart meters and more than 217,000 other intelligent devices installed throughout its system. Through strategic investments, FPL has made the energy grid stronger, smarter and more storm-resilient while reducing outage times and restoration costs associated with severe weather events.

"This exciting partnership between Florida Atlantic and FPL is a giant step forward to address the current and future needs of the energy industry, as we work together to initiate new ideas and insights that will benefit our communities," said FAU President Stacy Volnick. "Importantly, this partnership will support and elevate young scientists and engineers, by equipping them with the high-level skills needed to transform the energy sector."

The centerpiece of the FPL InETech Center is made up of 18, 55-inch screens wall-to-wall and individually controlled to provide real-time power grid visualization. This high-tech display is complemented with a suite of premier technologies and high-performance computers that allow researchers and students to work at the forefront of AIenabled smart grid optimization, renewable energy research and big data analytics. For example, inspired by the popular generative AI model ChatGPT, one of the center’s recent pending patents introduces a tool designed to retrieve power grid data and assist grid operators in making quicker and more informed decisions.

"The FPL/NextEra Energy Foundation gift will have a multiplier effect on Florida Atlantic’s successes in state-of-the-art research and development, and workforce development for the state of Florida and the nation in engineering and computer science disciplines, particularly as they apply to the energy sector," said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. "We are incredibly grateful for the support and generosity of FPL and the NextEra Energy Foundation as we transform the energy landscape in South Florida and well beyond."

The four-year collaboration is designed to foster student recruitment and engage undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students in pioneering energy projects.

"The FPL InETech Center will provide our students with an immersive learning experience and access to real-world technologies and hands-on simulations that will help them to develop the skills needed to fill high-demand jobs across the region," said Yufei Tang, Ph.D., director of the FPL InETech Center and associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. "Advanced equipment will enable them to analyze, explore and simulate data associated with the complex design and operation of microgrids and also will provide a platform to replicate power grids and other energy sources."