Tim Weis, BASc, MSc, PhD, PEng

Area of Study / Keywords

Energy And Environment Renewable Energy Energy Storage Engineering Management Economic Forecasting

About

Education:

• Ph.D. in Sciences de l'environnement, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 2011
• M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, 2002
• B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering (with Environmental Engineering Option), University of Waterloo, 1999

Research

My work has focused on renewable energy with a particular interest in wind energy and remote community wind-diesel hybrid applications. Prior to joining the University of Alberta, I spent much of my career working on the interactions of technology, policy and business for renewable energy, including working for the Pembina Institute, the Canadian Wind Energy Association and the Government of Alberta. My graduate students' research focuses on the interaction of renewable energy, carbon policy and electricity markets as they decarbonize with a focus on the evolution of Alberta’s electricity market including the increasing role for renewable energy, energy storage, price impacts and policy modelling.

NOTE: Dr. Weis is currently on secondment to NRCan www.nrcan.gc.ca/SmartGridProgram until August 2025.

Publications:

• Zonneveld, J., Nobert, F., Weis, T.M., Fleck, B.A. (2024), Remote community deep electrification scenario analysis: A grid extension case study in Kivalliq Canada, Renewable Energy Focus, Vol50, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ref.2024.100593 
• Duran-Castillo, G.E., Weis, T., Leach, A., and Fleck, B.A. (2023) Revenue-optimized photovoltaic orientation in a northern competitive electricity market with carbon offsets, Energy Reports, Vol10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2023.09.135  
• Thibault, B., Weis, T.M., and Leach, A. (2023) Alberta’s quiet but resilient electricity transition, in Sustainable Energy Transitions in Canada, edited by Mark Winfield, Stephen Hill, and James Gaede, UBC Press, www.ubcpress.ca/sustainable-energy-transitions-in-canada
• Gan, K.E., Taikan, O., Gan, T.Y., Weis, T., Yamazaki, D. and Schüttrumpf, H. (2023), Enhancing Renewable Energy Systems, Contributing to Sustainable Development Goals of United Nation and Building Resilience Against Climate Change Impacts. Energy Technol., 11: 2300275. https://doi.org/10.1002/ente.202300275 
• Avkhimenia, V., Gemignani, M., Weis, T.M., and Musilek, P. (2022) Deep Reinforcement Learning-based Operation of Transmission Battery Storage with Dynamic Thermal Line Rating, Energies, Energies, 15(23), 9032; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15239032 
• Leach, A., Hastings-Simon, S., Shaffer, B., and Weis, T.(2022) Alberta’s Renewable Electricity Program: Design, Results, and Lessons Learned, Journal of Energy Policy, Vol 171, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2022.113266 
• Noel, W., Weis, T.M., Yu, Q., Leach, A. and Fleck, B. (2022) Mapping the Evolution of Canada’s Wind Energy Fleet, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews Journal, Vol 167, ISSN 1364-0321, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2022.112690
• Avkhimenia, V., Weis, T.M., and Musilek, P. (2022) Sizing Transmission-Scale Battery Energy Storage System with Dynamic Thermal Line Rating, IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM) 
• Avkhimenia, V., Weis, T.M., and Musilek, P. (2021) Generation of Synthetic Ampacity and Electricity Pool Prices using Generative Adversarial Networks, IEEE Electrical Power and Energy Conference (EPEC) eCF Paper ID: 1570744202
• Udovichchenko, A., Fleck, B., Weis. T.M., Zhong, L. (2021) Framework for design and optimization of a retrofitted light industrial space with a renewable energy-assisted hydroponics facility in a rural northern Canadian community, Journal of Building Engineering, Vol 37, ISSN 2352-7102, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.102160 
• Weis, T.M., Thibault, B. and Miller, B. (2016) Chapter 15: Alberta’s Electricity Future, in First World Petro-Politics: The Political Ecology and Governance of Alberta, edited by Laurie Adkin, University of Toronto Press
• Weis, T. (2014) Chapter 12: The Potential of Clean Energy for Equity in Remote Communities in the North in Ensuring a Sustainable Future: Making Progress on Environment and Equity, edited by Jody Heymann and Magda Barrera, Oxford University Press
• Weis, T.M. and Ilinca, A. (2009) Assessing the Potential for a Wind Power Incentive for Remote Villages in Canada, Energy Policy, JEPO-D-09-01171
• Weis, T.M., Ilinca, A. and Pinard, JP, (2008) Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Barriers to Remote Wind-Diesel Power Plants in Canada, Energy Policy 36 (5), pp. 1611–1621
• Weis, T., et al (2009) Green Power Programs in Canada. Prepared for Environment Canada, www.pembina.org/reports/green-power-programs-in-canada-2007.pdf
• Weis, T.M. and Ilinca, A. (2008) The Utility of Energy Storage to Improve the Economics of Wind-Diesel Power Plants in Canada, Renewable Energy, 33 (7), pp.1544-1557

Teaching

• MECE 340 - Applied Thermodynamics
• MECE 443 - Energy Conversion
• MECE 463 - ThermoFluids System Design

MEC E 900 - Directed Research Project

Detailed Engineering report in the student's major area of interest.

MEC E 910 - Directed Research Project

Detailed Engineering Report in the student's major area of interest.

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