Séminaire, Dr Nishant Kumar, 24 Juin 2025,

Cognitive-State-Driven Metaheuristic Control for Dynamic Energy Harvesting in
Solar-Assisted Electric Vehicles

Dr. Nishant Kumar (Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, India)
Tuesday, June 24th 2025, 4-to-6 PM
Amphitheater Atrium, Esprit Building

This seminar introduces a novel approach for enhancing energy harvesting in solar-powered electric vehicles through an advanced control algorithm called Human Psychology Optimization (HPO). Inspired by the mental and emotional behavior of highly driven individuals, the HPO algorithm adapts dynamically to changing conditions by regulating virtual energy levels corresponding to motivation, excitement, and inspiration.

In moving vehicles, rooftop solar panels experience frequent and irregular shading, leading to multiple peaks in the power–voltage characteristics of the PV system. Identifying and tracking the global maximum power point under such rapidly changing conditions is a major challenge. The proposed HPO algorithm is designed to overcome this by generating optimal control signals for a DC–DC converter, ensuring efficient power extraction from the PV panels in real time.

The extracted energy is supplied to the vehicle’s internal DC bus, where it supports either battery charging or propulsion needs. The system has been validated through both laboratory experiments and compliance testing with the European standard EN50530, confirming its industrial relevance.

About the Speaker

Dr. Nishant Kumar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Jodhpur and leads the Energy Management and Microgrid Laboratory (EMML). He earned his PhD from IIT Delhi, where his work was honored with the Best Thesis Award and First Prize in the IEEE IAS Thesis Contest. Prior to joining IIT Jodhpur, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore. Dr. Kumar has engaged in international research collaborations with Imperial College London, MIT (USA), the University of Strathclyde, and the University of Warwick, contributing to several high-impact projects in clean energy and intelligent control. He has authored over 100 research papers, including 38 in IEEE Transactions, and holds multiple patents in India and the USA. He has been recognized with prestigious awards such as the DST Young Scientist Award, IEEE Outstanding Young Professional Volunteer Award, and selection as a BRICS Young Scientist. His research interests span renewable energy systems, electric vehicle technology, power electronics applications in power systems, microgrid–smart grid control, and intelligent optimization methods.