Flagship Projects

Completed
FRESNO

Flexibility Aggregator Simulation Platform

Adelaide University + Watts Denmark

Revolutionary platform for simulating advanced smart grid operations at distribution level. Facilitating massive renewable integration and electric vehicle adoption.

Completed
MOVE

Mining Operational Vehicles Electrification

FBICRC + BHP + IGO + 7 Partners

Leading Australia's mining industry transition to battery-electric vehicles. $2.1M+ project with major mining partners achieving real-world impact.

Past Consultancy Projects

Selected industry consulting engagements delivering practical solutions to energy sector challenges

2024

EV Charging Infrastructure Regulatory Framework Development

VoltGate Engineering & Electricity Control Board of Namibia

Participated in the development of comprehensive EV charging infrastructure (EV-CI) regulatory framework and standards adoption strategy for Namibia. Delivered policy recommendations, technical specifications, and implementation roadmap to support national EV infrastructure rollout.

EV Infrastructure Regulatory Framework Standards Development $12K Project
2022

Risk Reduction Study

Sovereign Propulsion Systems PTY LTD

Co-Chief Investigator conducting comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation strategy development for advanced propulsion systems. Analyzed technical, operational, and safety risks with recommendations for risk reduction measures.

Risk Assessment Propulsion Systems Safety Analysis $25K Project
2021

Price, Cooling and Heating Demand Prediction Tools

Center Denmark

Led development of advanced forecasting tools for electricity price prediction and thermal demand forecasting. Delivered machine learning-based prediction systems enabling optimized energy trading and HVAC system control strategies.

Forecasting Tools Machine Learning Energy Trading $15K Project
2020-21

Distributed Energy Resources Sizing Validation for ARENA Grant

Riverina County Water Council, NSW, Australia

Co-Chief Investigator providing technical validation and optimal sizing methodology for distributed energy resources deployment. Conducted feasibility analysis and technical due diligence supporting Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) grant application.

DER Sizing ARENA Grant Feasibility Study $28K Project

Industry Consultancy & Services

AI & Optimization

Advanced AI and optimization solutions for energy system operations, forecasting, and decision-making.

  • Machine learning model development
  • Optimization algorithm design
  • Deterministic/stochastic forecasting systems
  • Data analytics platforms

Energy Market

Strategic advice on electricity market participation, bidding strategies, and revenue optimization.

  • Market participation strategies
  • Price forecasting systems
  • Bidding algorithm development
  • Risk management frameworks
  • Revenue stream analysis

Smart Grid Integration

Supporting utilities and network operators in integrating high penetrations of distributed energy resources.

  • DER integration strategies
  • Virtual Power Plant design
  • Flexibility aggregation mechanisms
  • Network constraint management
  • Local market design

Battery Storage Systems

Expert consultancy on utility-scale and community battery sizing, operation optimization, and market participation strategies.

  • Optimal battery sizing and placement
  • Revenue maximization strategies
  • Grid service provision analysis
  • Degradation modeling and management
  • Business case development

Electric Vehicle Systems

Technical advice on EV charging infrastructure, fleet electrification, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) implementations.

  • Charging infrastructure planning
  • Fleet electrification roadmaps
  • EV aggregation strategies
  • Demand management systems
  • V2G feasibility studies

Mining/Industrial Electrification

Specialized consultancy for mining companies transitioning to battery-electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.

  • BEV feasibility assessments
  • Mine site energy audits
  • Hybrid renewable microgrid design
  • Charging infrastructure specifications
  • Business case and ROI analysis

Commercialization & Spin-offs

OptiGrid Pty Ltd

Active Spin-off

OptiGrid is an Adelaide University spin-off company providing AI-enabled tools for large-scale battery operation in the National Electricity Market (NEM). Co-founded with PhD students Sahand Karimi and Trong Nam Dinh, OptiGrid delivers cutting-edge solutions that maximize battery asset potential and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.

Founded

2024

Co-Founders

3 (Dr. Ali + 2 PhD Students)

Industry Support

See OptiGrid website

Accelerator

Climate 10x (UNSW Founders), EnergyLab, CSIRO ON

Key Products & Achievements

  • OptiForecaster: Accurate electricity price forecasting
  • OptiBidder: Intelligent asset operation and market bidding
  • Successfully completed several accelerator programs including Climate 10x, EnergyLab, and CSIRO ON
  • Industry backing from major energy sector companies
  • Accelerating fossil-fueled plant retirement through improved battery economics
  • Contributing to lower energy prices for consumers

Recognition

2022

Best Paper Awards, AUPEC 2022

Received two best paper awards at the 32nd Australasian Universities Power Engineering Conference: Best Paper Award (with Yuan Yao) and SA Power Networks Best Paper Award (with Sahand Karimi-Arpanahi).

2019

IEEE Senior Member

Elevated to the grade of IEEE Senior Member for significant contributions to the profession in power systems and smart grid technologies.

2019

Outstanding Reviewer Award

Recognized as Outstanding Reviewer for the IEEE Transactions on Power Systems.

2019

Invited Visiting Researcher

Invited Visiting Researcher at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).

2015

Spot Recognition Awards

Received two Spot Recognition Awards from the Energy Management Department at NEC Laboratories America Inc.

2014

Don Pierre Graduate Student Publication Award

Awarded by Montana State University for outstanding graduate student publication.

2011

Don Pierre Graduate Student Publication Award

Awarded by Montana State University for outstanding graduate student publication.

Professional Service

2024-2026

Board of Directors, OptiGrid Pty Ltd

Board of directors member at OptiGrid Pty Ltd for almost two years since the incorporation of the company.

2022

Technical Program Chair, AUPEC 2022

Technical Program Chair for the 32nd Australasian Universities Power Engineering Conference in Adelaide, Australia.

2020-2023

International Advisory Board Member

Member of the International Advisory Board for Flexible Energy Denmark (FED), Innovation Fund Denmark.

2020-2022

Management Committee Member

Member of the Management Committee, Centre of Energy Technology, The University of Adelaide.

2019-2023

Associate Editor, IEEE Access

Served as Associate Editor for IEEE Access journal.

2020

Subject Track Chair, IEEE PES ISGT-Asia

Subject Track Chair on Microgrids, Standalone Power Systems, and Virtual Power Plants at the 10th IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference - Asia, Perth.

2020

Adelaide Power System Summer School

Lead Organizer of the Adelaide Power System Summer School (APSSS) on "Application of AI in Power Systems and Smart Grids" with 37 participants and 5 lecturers.

2019

Technical Committee Member

Member of the Technical Committee for the 8th International Conference on Renewable Power Generation, Shanghai, China.

2018

Guest Editor

Guest Editor for IET Renewable Power Generation Special Issue on "Demand Response in Electricity Markets".

2017-2018

IEEE Chapter Secretary

Secretary of the IEEE Joint Chapter of Power Electronics/Industrial Electronics/Industry Applications Societies.

Interested in Collaboration?

For industry inquiries, please email to request a short intro chat and mention your organization and project area.