Role of laboratory education in power engineering: Is the virtual laboratory feasible? Part I

IEEE PES sponsors a panel session in the summer power meeting in Seattle on laboratory education in power engineering. Six short papers and one full paper summarize the opinions of the panelist. This paper contains the summary of the four presentations. The objective of the panel is to discuss the roll of laboratory education in power engineering at both the graduate and undergraduate level. The question is what type of laboratory courses is needed? Power electronics, electric machines, system simulation, etc? The second objective is to assess the status and value of computer based virtual laboratories. This includes the presentation of experience with virtual laboratories and a list of available tools. The teaching of power system operation can be improved using a simulation laboratory. The available simulation tools and the assessment of their values will be an important topic of the panel. Last, but not least, the last presentation will give opposing views, arguing for the traditional laboratory use.