Thesis defense in: “Electrical Engineering” by Mr. Boris Arnaud NOTCHUM DEFFO

The Euromed University of Fez (UEMF) is pleased to inform the public of The Doctoral

The thesis defense will take place on January 15, 2026, at 03:00 p.m. at UEMF
Location: Gallery Building 1

The thesis will be presented by Mr. Boris Arnaud NOTCHUM DEFFO

under the topic:
“Advanced Control Strategies for Frequency Stability in Microgrids with High Incorporation of Renewable Energy Sources”

Summary:

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources in isolated microgrids poses a significant challenge to frequency stability due to their intermittent nature and reduced system inertia. This thesis focuses on the development of advanced frequency control strategies for isolated microgrids integrating renewable sources, energy storage systems, and diesel generators under disturbances and modeling uncertainties.

Several complementary control approaches are proposed. First, a robust sliding mode control strategy based on linear matrix inequalities is developed to ensure asymptotic stability and strong robustness against uncertainties. To reduce computational complexity, a cascaded control structure is then introduced while preserving satisfactory dynamic performance. In a third contribution, a fractional-order PID controller is designed to provide synthetic inertia, offering improved tuning flexibility and enhanced transient response compared to classical controllers. These developments are finally unified in a hybrid architecture combining SMC-LMI for secondary frequency control with a cascaded PDn–PI virtual inertia controller, achieving faster recovery, improved disturbance rejection, and enhanced robustness.

All controllers are optimally tuned using metaheuristic optimization algorithms, which minimize standard performance indices, and their effectiveness is validated through extensive MATLAB/Simulink simulations under diverse operating scenarios. Overall, the thesis contributes robust and adaptive solutions for improving frequency stability in low-inertia renewable microgrids.

Thesis will be presented to the jury members:

Quality	Grade	Name	Institution
Jury chair	PES	Pr. Abdellatif SAFOUANE	UEMF
Reviewer	PES	Pr. Rachid EL BACHTIRI	EST-USMBA
Reviewer	PES	Pr. Mohamed SALHI	ENSA-USMBA
Reviewer	PH	Pr. Chakib ALAOUI	UEMF
Examiner	PH	Pr. Youness EL MOURABIT	EST-USMBA
Examiner	PH	Pr. Abdelaziz FRI	EST-USMBA
Thesis Supervisor	PES	Pr. Tijani BOUNAHMIDI	UEMF
Co-supervisor	PA	Pr. Anass BAKOURI	UEMF