A few days ago, according to the relevant provisions in the “Measures for Science and Technology Awards of China Electrotechnical Society”, “Gao Jingde Science and Technology Achievement Award” of the Science and Technology Award of China Electrotechnical Society officially announced two winners after several rounds of review and publicity. Professor Mei Shengwei from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics (EEA) of Tsinghua University won the 2022 (1st) CES “Gao Jingde Science and Technology Achievement Award”.

Screenshot of the award announcement

Screenshot of the award announcement

Professor Mei Shengwei, who has been engaged in the research on power system security control and efficient utilization of new energy for a long time, is a professor of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics of Tsinghua University, Vice President of Qinghai University and Dean of the School of New Energy, winner of the National Outstanding Youth Fund, Changjiang Scholar of the Ministry of Education, IEEE Fellow, member of the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering and the Chinese Society of Automation, chief scientist of energy storage demonstration project of the National Energy Administration, chief scientist of China Salt Cavern Company and chief expert of China Three Gorges Energy Company. To solve the major scientific and technological issues in the three stages of China’s power system, large-capacity long-distance transmission, UHV AC-DC interconnection, and large-scale new energy development, and following the work route of theoretical innovation — technical breakthrough — industrial application, he has made systematic innovation achievement in large generator excitation and speed regulation, AC and DC safe power transmission, efficient utilization of new energy sources, and large-scale clean physical energy storage, which are applied to power systems, national defense projects and national energy storage demonstration projects.

Professor Mei Shengwei’s major scientific and technological achievements include:

1) He proposed the nonlinear robust control theory of power systems, develop the nonlinear robust excitation/speed regulation industrial controller of large synchronous generator, and significantly improve the safe operation level of long-distance power transmission system. In 2008, the “Nonlinear Control of Large Power System”, which took this theory as one of the two core achievements (the other is the nonlinear optimal control of power system), won the second prize of the National Natural Science Award.

2) He established the self-organizing criticality theory and analysis methods for complex power grids, created a rapid identification technology for vulnerable components and dangerous fault paths in AC and DC systems, and developed an active blocking platform for cascading faults to ensure the safe operation of China’s AC and DC transmission systems, which won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2018.

3) He opened up a new direction of engineering game theory and developed a multi-time scale robust control integration platform for new energy power systems, which provides a technical support for solving the problem of tens of millions of kilowatts of wind and solar power consumption. In 2018, the Fund Committee listed “Engineering Game Theory” as a new discipline direction under “Control Science and Engineering” (F030416).

4) He put forward the technology route of non-supplementary combustion compressed air energy storage, presided over the construction of the national energy storage demonstration project “Jiangsu Jintan 60MW/300MWh Salt Cavern Compressed Air Energy Storage Power Station”, which is a realization of China’s dual leadership in technology research and development and engineering practice of the world compressed air energy storage industry. This achievement won the 2022 CES Grand Award for Technology Invention, which is also the first grand award for science and technology achievement since the founding of CES.

Professor Mei Shengwei has published 10 monographs (2 in English), 2 textbooks, and 512 journal papers (262 in SCI), which have been cited for more than 20,000 times; he has also published 7 ESI highly cited papers and 5 F5000 papers. He owns 175 patents (3 US patents) and has won 1 second prize of National Natural Science and Technological Progress and 11 provincial and ministerial first prizes.

Studying under Academician Lu Qiang and upholding Tsinghua University’s motto of “Self-Discipline and Social Commitment”, Professor Mei Shengwei is down-to-earth and diligent in work, and he has won the Tsinghua University’s Award for Good Mentor and Helpful Friend in Teaching and Educating People for seven times, and the honours of Outstanding Communist Party Member and Advanced Worker of Tsinghua University for three times. In addition, since 2003, he has been fighting in the front line of scientific research for national defense and supporting the west, and was selected as the one of the greatest scientific and technological workers in Qinghai Province and one of the 100 greatest scientific and technological workers of the Central Propaganda Department.

The CES “Gao Jingde Science and Technology Achievement Award” was jointly established by China Electrotechnical Society and Tsinghua University to promote technological innovation and high-quality industrial development in the field of electrical engineering, and commend science and technology workers who have made outstanding contributions to China’s scientific and technological development.