- Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Affiliated Faculty, Multidisciplinary Engineering
- Phone: 979-862-4985
- Email: rbalog@tamu.edu
- Office: WEB 205D
Educational Background
- Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – 2006
- M.S.E.E., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – 2002
- B.S.E.E., Rutgers University – 1996
Research Interests
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- Advance power electronics systems and controls solar photovoltaic and electrical energy storage power systems
- Photovoltaic balance of systems (BOS)
- Non-planer photovoltaic systems and BiPV
- Techno-economic optimization of renewable resource-based energy systems
- Microgrids and distributed DC power systems
- Power quality enhancement in AC electrical distribution system
- Model predicative control of power electronic systems
- Power electronics for solid state lighting (LED)
- Arc fault detection in photovoltaic, battery and dc systems
Research Centers
Director, Renewable Energy and Advanced Power Electronics Laboratory (REAPER)
Co-Director, National Science Foundation Industry / University Collaborative Research Center (I/UCRC) on Next Generation Photovoltaics (NGPV)
Assistant Director for Grid-Edge Modernization, Smart Grid Center of Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
Patents & Intellectual Property
- "Shape Memory Alloy Actuated Switch," U.S. Patent 11,929,219, issued Mar 12, 2024
- "Shape Memory Alloy Actuated Switch," U.S. Patent 11,515,101, issued Nov 29, 2022.
- "Systems and Methods for Determining Arc Events Using Wavelet Decomposition and Support Vector Machines," U.S. Patent 10,790,779, issued September 29, 2020.
- "Power Inverter Docking System for Photovoltaic Modules," U.S. Patent 9,627,555, issued April 18, 2017.
- "Apparatus and method for controlling DC-AC power conversion," U.S. Patent 9,806,628, issued October 31, 2017.
- "Apparatus for Converting Direct Current to Alternating Current using Multiple Converters," U.S. Patent 9,722,504, issued August 1, 2017.
- "Method and System for Detecting Arc Faults and Flashes Using Wavelets," U.S. Patent 9,329,220 issued May 3, 2016.
- "Encryption Key Distribution System and Method," U.S. Patent 9,270,448 issued Feb. 23, 2016.
- "Apparatus and method for controlling DC-AC power conversion," U.S. Patent 9,225,256, issued Dec 29, 2015.
- "Apparatus for Converting Direct Current to Alternating Current using a Frequency Converter," U.S. Patent 9,093,919 issued July 28, 2015.
- "Power Inverter Docking System for Photovoltaic Modules," U.S. Patent 8,929,094 issued Jan 6, 2015.
- "Apparatus for Securing Panels to Substrates," U.S. Patent 8,727,291 issued May 20, 2014.
- "Apparatus and Method for Controlling DC-AC Power Conversion," U.S. Patent 8,482,947 issued July 9, 2013.
- "Power inverter docking system for photovoltaic modules," U.S. Patent 8,462,518, issued June 11, 2013.
- "Methods for Minimizing Double-Frequency Ripple Power in Single-Phase Power Conditioners," U.S. Patent 8,325,499, issued Dec 4, 2012.
- "Apparatus for Converting Direct Current to Alternating Current using an Active Filter to Reduce Double-Frequency Ripple Power of Bus Waveform," U.S. Patent 8,279,642, issued Oct 02, 2012.
- "System and Apparatus for Interconnecting an Array of Power Generating Assemblies," U.S. Patent 8,227,942 issued July 24, 2012.
- "System and Apparatus for Interconnecting an Array of Power Generating Assemblies," U.S. Patent 8,207,637, issued June 26, 2012.
- "Methods for Minimizing Double-Frequency Ripple Power in Single-Phase Power Conditioners," U.S. Patent 8,004,865, issued Aug 23, 2011.
- "Methods for Minimizing Double-Frequency Ripple Power in Single-Phase Power Conditioners," U.S. Patent 7,755,916, issued July 13, 2010.
- "Commutation Technique for an AC-to-AC Converter," U.S. Patent 7,187,149, issued Mar. 6, 2007.
- "Lighting Control System for Different Load Types," U.S. Patent 6,188,181, issued Feb. 13, 2001.
Books and Book Chapters
R.S. Balog, M. Shadmand, M. Metry, “The Load as a Controlled Energy Asset in DC Microgrids,” in DC Distribution Systems and Microgrids, London, United Kingdom: The Institute of Engineering and Technology, 2018.
A. Kwasinski, W. Weaver, and R. S. Balog, Microgrids and other Local Area Power and Energy Systems, Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2016.
R. S. Balog and A. Davoudi, "Batteries, Battery Management and Battery Charging Technology," in Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, vol. 2, R. A. Meyers, Ed.: Springer Verlag, 2012, pp. 671-706.
Other Professional Activities
Technical Program Chair, Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE) 2016
Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) Power Electronics society:
ADCOM member, 2010 – present
Mentorship co-Chair, 2017-present
Member-at-Large, 2015-2017
Membership co-Chair, 2012-2014
Inaugural Young Professionals Chair (formerly Graduates of the Last Decade)
Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Standards development
Technical reviewer for most power electronics related conferences and journals
Awards & Honors
- National Academy of Inventors (NAI), elected as Senior Member, 2019
- Distinguished Lecturer, IEEE Power Electronics Society, 2020-2021
- Patent and Innovation Award, Texas A&M University System Office of Technology Commercialization’s, 2017
- Distinguished Lecturer, IEEE Power Electronics Society, 2018-2019
- Distinguished Engineer Award, Rutgers College of Engineering, 2011
- Hungarian Academy of Sciences, External Public Body, 2011
- Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE), Member since 1992, Senior Member since 2007
- Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America
- Licensed Professional Engineer, Illinois
- Licensed Professional Engineer, Texas