Profile

Dr. Varma obtained his B.Tech. (1980) and Ph.D. (1988) degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, India. He spent 25 years at IIT Kanpur as a student and faculty member, completing his education and later serving the Institute as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. His academic journey was further enriched by the Government of India BOYSCAST Young Scientist Fellowship and the Fulbright Scholarship, which supported his research work in Canada and the United States.

Dr. Varma's research focuses on developing novel technologies to enhance the grid integration of solar PV systems, wind power plants, battery energy storage systems, and electric vehicle charging stations. His work emphasizes innovative and cost-effective smart inverter functionalities that enable inverter-based resources to actively support the stability of AC and DC power systems.

Among his most influential contributions is the invention of PV-STATCOM, a groundbreaking technology that enables solar photovoltaic (PV) farms to provide critical grid-stabilizing functions both during the NIGHT and day. By allowing solar installations to operate as a dynamic reactive power compensator STATCOM, when not generating power, the technology improves power system stability while significantly reducing costs and carbon emissions.

A typical STATCOM costs approximately $50 million. In contrast, Dr. Varma's PV-STATCOM technology, when implemented on a solar farm, provides all the functions of a new STATCOM installation at ten times lower cost.

Dr. Varma led the world's first field demonstration of PV-STATCOM in 2016 at Bluewater Power in Sarnia, Ontario. He holds 22 granted and 4 pending patents on PV-STATCOM technology in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, China, and India.

Today, leading global solar inverter manufacturers are marketing PV-STATCOM-based features worldwide. Several features of his patented work have been mandated in IEEE Standard 2800-2022, which applies to all transmission-connected solar farms in North America.

Building on his work in solar integration, Varma has also developed BESS-STATCOM, a patented technology that enables battery energy storage systems to function as STATCOM devices. In November 2024, he led the world's first field demonstration of BESS-STATCOM at Elexicon Energy in Ajax, Ontario.

He is currently leading an NSERC Alliance-MITACS research project with Elexicon Energy to develop multifunctional control of solar PV and battery energy storage systems as STATCOMs. Earlier, he led several large, multi-institutional, and industry-supported projects funded by the Ontario Centres of Excellence and IESO, addressing large-scale solar integration, enhanced grid connectivity of renewables, and smart management of short-circuit currents.

Dr. Varma has made significant contributions to the global power engineering community through his leadership in IEEE. He served as Chair of the IEEE Power & Energy Society HVDC and FACTS Subcommittee (2021-2022), Vice Chair (2018-2021), and Secretary (2015-2017). He also served as Chair of the IEEE Working Group on HVDC and FACTS Bibliography (2004-2019) and as Editor of IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery (2003-2008).

Dr. Varma has authored two important books in the field of power systems. His recent book, Smart Solar PV Inverters with Advanced Grid Support Functionalities, published by Wiley-IEEE Press in December 2021, is the first book to provide comprehensive coverage of smart inverters for solar PV systems, one of the most rapidly growing renewable energy technologies worldwide. He is also the principal co-author of the highly successful IEEE Press/Wiley book Thyristor-Based FACTS Controllers for Electrical Transmission Systems, published in 2002, which was the first book devoted exclusively to an in-depth presentation of the theoretical concepts and practical applications of thyristor-based FACTS technology.

Achievements and Honors

• Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), 2026
• IEEE Fellow, 2025
• 2024 Innovation Excellence Award
• IEEE PES Recognition Award, 2022
• IEEE Standards Association Working Group Recognition Award, 2022
• IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) Nari Hingorani FACTS Award, 2021
• Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (FCAE), 2021
• Vanguard First Patent Issued Award, 2016 by Western University
• Hind Rattan Award (Jewel of India), 2014
• Bharat Gaurav Award (Pride of India), 2014