In the Power Electronics (PE) group we do research on the hardware, controls and system aspects of energy conversion systems, often in the context of challenging applications. Our research focuses on five principal areas
- Battery Electronics: Apply power electronics to integrate batteries in systems and extend the lifetime of the battery. Improve reliability by new packaging technologies and EMC immunity solutions.
- Energy Access: The theme is small solar systems with battery storage to provide off-grid electric services to 3 billion people living in energy poverty. Sustainable socio-technical solutions are expected to be scalable, regionally relevant, holistic, and leverage 21st century technologies.
- Power Electronics Technology: investigate power semiconductor devices and advanced packaging techniques. New bandgap semiconductor material, GaN and SiC makes it possible to smaller power supplies and high performance RF amplifiers.
- Power Electronics-Enabled Smart Grids: focus on the modeling, optimization, and real-time validation of modern distribution networks and microgrids with a high penetration of inverter-based resources, e.g., renewable energy sources, energy storage, and electric vehicles.
- Power and Energy Measurement Systems: accurate measurements of electrical power flow and energy efficiencies in electrical systems for reducing the carbon footprint. New concepts are applied to improve accuracy, explore fundamental limitations and devise calibration methods.
Battery Electronics
The research is about the electronics that monitor battery cells, the power electronics responsible for charging and discharging batteries, and investigating the possibility to integrate power electronics into battery. The goals are to extend the lifetime of the battery and improve reliability by new packaging technologies and EMC immunity solutions.
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Energy Access
The research is on small solar systems with battery storage to provide off-grid electric services to 3 billion people living in energy poverty. Sustainable socio-technical solutions are expected to be scalable, regionally relevant, holistic, and leverage 21st century technologies with exponentially declining prices.
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Power Electronics Technology
The power electronics technology program does research on power semiconductor devices and advanced packaging techniques. The new generation of wide bandgap semiconductor material, GaN and SiC makes it possible to smaller power supplies, that can be up 99% efficient. RF systems are also growing in power and efficiency benefitting from the new semiconductor materials.
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Power electronics-enabled smart grids
Our research focuses on the modeling and optimization of modern distribution grids and microgrids, including the energy management and control of inverter-based resources (IBRs) for seamless grid integration and grid support. Current research directions include co-simulation of power systems and power electronics, interoperability and coordinated control of IBRs, and real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) applications for the development and validation of increasingly complex power and energy systems, bridging device-level and system-level perspectives. The outcomes of our research support the design and operation of future power systems that integrate increasing shares of renewable energy while improving reliability, operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.
Power & Energy Measurement Systems
The research contributes to accurate measurements of electrical power flow and energy efficiencies in electrical systems for reducing the carbon footprint. New concepts are applied to improve accuracy, explore fundamental limitations and devise calibration methods. The application include voltage, current and power measurements in the electrical grid related to power converter connected renewables (wind, solar) and grid monitoring devices, efficiency measurements on power electronic converters and measurements on batteries.
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