Power electronics are used to convert and control electrical power in many different ways, and can be said to be a cornerstone of almost all electrical energy management.

For example, power electronics are used to efficiently convert voltage and current from solar cells or wind turbines into a form suitable for transmission over large distances. Power electronics are used to convert 3-phase AC voltage and current into a controlled DC voltage and current for charging the battery of an electric vehicle. In the same vehicle, power electronics are used to convert the battery's DC voltage into the form that can be used to control the vehicle's drive motors. The vehicle's air conditioning, headlights, mobile phone charging sockets, stereo speakers, etc. are also powered by power electronics.

Power electronic converters use semiconductors such as diodes and transistors designed for very high voltages and currents, up to 1000s of volts and 1000s of amps. Power electronics transistors are used as switches that ‘turn on and off’ at high frequencies, normally a few 10s of kilohertz, but in some applications up to the Megahertz range. Accurate and efficient control of electrical power is very much about timing and is called modulation. Power electronics can be roughly divided into two areas; I) Design of power electronic converters and II) Control (modulation) of power electronic converters.

IEA's research, as well as the courses offered, deals with both of these sub-areas. The research is very much about charging systems and drive systems for vehicles, about the connection to the electricity grid of e.g. charging systems or large battery storage in the electricity grid.

Keywords: Power electronics, power electronic converters, motor drives, chargers, active mains filters.