After 30 years of working as a power engineer, Hamid Elahi of GE Energy is excited about learning how the same basic principles he learned in undergraduate courses can still be applied in innovative ways to solve current and emerging challenges.

“My undergraduate courses in power engineering left me with a thirst for learning more about the subjects covered,” Elahi said.

Now Elahi, general manager of Global Energy Applications & Systems Engineering at GE Energy, teaches the basics in Power Systems Fundamentals at the GE Energy Power Systems and Energy Course, taking place in Schenectady, New York, on Aug. 3-4. The course covers the fundamentals of the power system, and how system operation impacts the power market. Beginning with the basic terms and concepts, Elahi will lead participants through a discussion of the power generation technologies and power delivery systems. Participants will learn about issues such as reliability, performance and potential bottlenecks or limits on the system that can affect trading. They will gain an understanding of key power marketing fundamentals such as pricing and scheduling.

“The course is intended to make participants appreciate the common link among the individual topics taught throughout the program, with the objective of making them approach problem solving as a ‘power systems’ expert (i.e., with a wider breath and deeper knowledge of the engineering science),” Elahi said.

Elahi has taught other PSEC courses as well: Power Systems Analysis, Surge Phenomena, Power System Dynamics, and Synchronous Machines.

Elahi said that his career has been a continuous learning process and he offers students a comprehensive view of past and current technology trends and applications. He tells his students to never stop learning, and that “there are no shortcuts.”

In his current position, Elahi is responsible for leading GE Energy’s EA&SE team in support of clients worldwide. This includes a full portfolio of thermal and renewable generation, electrical power systems, and power economics performance analyses for various stakeholders in the electric power industry.

One of his favorite opportunities about his position is working with a “talented group of professionals—coworkers and clients—across the globe.”

Elahi also enjoys listening to music, reading and traveling with his wife. “We love to see new places whenever we can get away,” he said.