Postgraduate Diploma in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants
Online 800 h Postgraduate Diploma in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants. 8 modules covering IEC 61850-7-420 (distributed energy resources), IEC 62933 (energy storage systems) and MATLAB/Simulink. Personal tutor assigned and enrolment open.
Postgraduate Diploma in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants — studying from New Zealand
New Zealand's energy sector is distinctive for its high share of renewable generation, drawn from hydroelectric, geothermal and wind resources. Transpower operates the national grid, while distribution networks are run by regional lines companies, and the Electricity Authority regulates the wholesale and retail markets. Energy engineers are employed across generation, transmission, distribution and retail, with demand growing as the country works towards its renewable electricity goals.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$2,160 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
What professional recognition applies to energy and network engineers in New Zealand?
Engineering New Zealand administers Chartered Professional Engineer registration, which is widely used in the energy sector. The Electricity Authority oversees the electricity market, and the Electricity Engineers' Association is an industry body. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so recognition is decided by employers or the relevant body.
Who employs energy and network engineers in New Zealand?
Major employers include electricity lines companies, generators, transmission operators, gas network businesses and consultancies. Roles often value registration, field experience and knowledge of New Zealand's grid and regulation. A private qualification may support your CV, but it does not guarantee employment or a particular career outcome.
Can I study from New Zealand with a full-time job, and does an employer need to fund it?
Yes. The programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from New Zealand without a student visa. You will have an assigned technical tutor and complete a final project. Specialist courses take 300 hours, diplomas 800 and master's programmes 1,900. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the configurations of renewable hybrid plants.
Define the functional architecture of an EMS.
Design the coordinated control of active and reactive power.
Manage the state of charge and battery degradation at plant level.
Integrate forecasts into operational planning.
Optimise the plant's participation in services and markets.
Plan the commissioning and operation of the EMS.
Who it's for
- Control engineer for hybrid plants who wants to specialise in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants.
- EMS systems developer who wants to specialise in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants.
- Commissioning engineer who wants to specialise in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants.
- Operations engineer for renewable plants who wants to specialise in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants.
- Energy optimisation specialist who wants to specialise in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants.
- SCADA engineer who wants to specialise in EMS and Coordinated Control of Hybrid Plants.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter the renewable energy sector.
What you'll work with
- IEC 61850-7-420 (distributed energy resources)
- IEC 62933 (energy storage systems)
- Regulation (EU) 2016/631 (RfG network code)
- IEEE 2800 (inverter-based resources in transmission)
- IEC 61400-27-1 (electrical simulation models for wind turbines)
- IEC 62443 (industrial cyber security)
- Regulation (EU) 2017/2195 (electricity balancing)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1PV, wind and battery configurations1.2AC versus DC coupling1.3Shared point of connection1.4Export power limitation1.5Resource complementarity1.6Hybridisation of existing plants1.7Regulatory framework for hybridisation in Spain1.8Access and connection requirements1.9Reference cases worldwide1.10Case study: solar-wind complementarity analysis
2.1Control levels: device, plant and portfolio2.2Power Plant Controller (PPC)2.3Interfaces with SCADA and BMS2.4IEC 61850, Modbus and DNP3 protocols2.5Response times and latencies2.6Redundancy and high availability2.7EMS cyber security2.8Suppliers and commercial platforms2.9Functional requirements of an EMS2.10Practice: functional specification of an EMS
3.1Active power control at the point of connection3.2Ramp rate control and smoothing3.3Frequency control and droop3.4Voltage and reactive power control3.5Dispatch between inverters and batteries3.6Management of export limits3.7Power factor control3.8Response to operator setpoints3.9Loop adjustment and tuning3.10Laboratory: simulation of battery-based ramp control
4.1State of charge and state of health4.2BMS operating limits4.3Charging strategies from renewable and grid sources4.4Thermal management and auxiliaries4.5Balancing between containers4.6Degradation and its cost4.7Manufacturer warranties and throughput4.8Safety and fire detection4.9Storage performance indicators4.10Workshop: SOC management strategy
5.1Solar and wind production forecasting5.2Market price forecasting5.3Uncertainty and probabilistic scenarios5.4Day-ahead and intraday scheduling5.5Optimisation with integer linear programming5.6Real-time model predictive control (MPC)5.7Rescheduling after deviations5.8Management of technical constraints5.9Integration with the market representative5.10Practice: optimal daily scheduling in Python
6.1Day-ahead and intraday markets6.2aFRR and mFRR balancing services6.3Voltage control as a service6.4Capacity markets6.5Imbalance penalties6.6Asset aggregation and virtual power plants6.7Hybrid PPAs6.8Arbitrage revenues6.9Qualification requirements for services6.10Case study: participation in secondary regulation
7.1EMS integration tests7.2Grid code compliance testing7.3Validation of plant models7.4KPI monitoring7.5Alarm and event management7.6Software updates7.7Incident analysis7.8Continuous improvement of the algorithm7.9Operator training7.10Laboratory: analysis of operational data from a hybrid plant
8.1Definition of the hybrid plant8.2Proposed control architecture8.3Design of control functions8.4Forecasting and dispatch strategy8.5Market and services strategy8.6Operational simulation8.7Techno-economic evaluation8.8Commissioning plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded lectures and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, Python (Pyomo), PVsyst, Ignition SCADA, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assignments are based on real procedures for coordinated power control simulation, EMS commissioning tests and plant dispatch optimisation. Assessment is continuous across modules, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Understand the configurations of renewable hybrid plants.
Define the functional architecture of an EMS.
Design the coordinated control of active and reactive power.
Manage the state of charge and battery degradation at plant level.
Integrate forecasts into operational planning.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical standards documentation.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours, spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with MATLAB/Simulink, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, Python (Pyomo), PVsyst, Ignition SCADA. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are credited towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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