Power Electronics in 2025 and Beyond: A Focus on Power Electronics and Systems Technology

The future of power electronics in 2025 and beyond was the focus of session five of the Future of Electronic Power Processing and Conversion (FEPPCON) IX, which was held in June in Kruger Park, South Africa. This session was organized into five presentations, the first of which was given by Fred Lee, a U.S. National Academy of Engineering member and a distinguished professor at Virginia Tech. He described how to gain a better understanding of the modular multilevel converter (MMC) control to minimize the circulating current. This method has the potential to unleash the full power of MMCs. Prof. Zhengming Zhao of Tsinghua University, and the principal investigator of the Vitally Important Technology Development Program, sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, gave the second demonstration. He discussed the challenges facing megawatt power electronic circuit design and hardware development, especially in transient conditions. Afterward, the third lecture was given by Don Tan, distinguished engineer of Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. His talk presented two challenges that are facing power electronics communities for megawatt simulation and design. Dianguo Xu, vice president and professor of Harbin Institute of Technology's presentation was next and highlighted the potential challenges in connected motor drives and their impacts on the society at large. Finally, Ron Hui and C.K. Lee, both from Hong Kong University, gave the last presentation. Prof. Hui is a member of British Royal Society. They examined energy harvesting and wireless power transfer.