The roadmapping activity is another highlight in the ECPE Network with several programmes to develop power electronics roadmaps from the system and application perspectives. Research and Technology Roadmapping is an important strategic tool to identify and guide a mainstream for medium to long term research. The main objective of technology roadmapping in the ECPE Network is to provide input and industrial guidance to the research programmes on European as well as on national level. Furthermore, ECPE Member companies can reflect their own company roadmaps versus the ECPE roadmaps and the ECPE Competence Centre can use the roadmaps when they define new research directions.
ECPE Contact
Dipl.-Phys. Thomas Harder
General Manager ECPE e.V.
and ECPE GmbH
Power electronics is dealing with the application of electronics to the control and conversion of electric power, and therewith, is a key technology for increased energy efficiency along the full chain from generation, transmission & distribution up to the use of electric energy. Furthermore, it is an enabler for the grid integration of renewable energy sources, e.g., photovoltaics (PV) and wind power. E-mobility is boosting power electronics as it is a key technology on the vehicle itself as well as on the grid side when it should be charged. Power electronics can significantly contribute to the key issues of improved energy efficiency, reduced consumption of materials, and sustainable energy supply based on renewables.
ECPE would like to stress that important contributions to the „Net-Zero Industry Act“ (NZIA) can be expected from power electronics. This is why the power electronics and power semiconductor perspective needs to be carefully considered in the NZIA process.
Even after the very fast development during the last 20 years and the availability of wide bandgap SiC semiconductors there are many promising technologies arising. These new technologies will give power electronic a further technology push. Enabling even more new electric powered, highly efficient applications and generating an additional application pull for new solutions. Europe is at the forefront of power electronic development. To stay there, further focused research on these promising topics must be facilitated.With the development towards Industry 4.0 the requirement for “Smart-Systems” and autonomy in industry drives and automation demands higher levels of intelligence from the power electronic systems used to facilitate correct power flow. With an estimated €36bn predicted to be spent on inverters and drive systems in 2022, academic and industrial research and development identifies the power electronic inverter as being the critical driver for Industry 4.0 in the coming years.
This Position Paper emphasizes that it is the key for the future to maintain and strengthen Europe´s position in power electronics technologies and applications, as also other regions in the world e.g. China have identified the importance and the potential of power electronics.
With the development towards Industry 4.0 the requirement for “Smart-Systems” and autonomy in industry drives and automation demands higher levels of intelligence from the power electronic systems used to facilitate correct power flow. With an estimated €36bn predicted to be spent on inverters and drive systems in 2022, academic and industrial research and development identifies the power electronic inverter as being the critical driver for Industry 4.0 in the coming years.
This Position Paper aims to identify which functionalities would be required in a “Smart-Inverter” as an enabling technology for Industry 4.0, based on current state-of-the-art and emerging developments explored in a recent ECPE Expert Discussion with leaders from academia and industry.
In order to achieve the reliable implementation of the social goals as well as increased sustainability (energy saving, resource conservation ...) by increasing service life and efficiency, corrosion research must address the following fields:
▪ Aluminium and copper corrosion at chip level, i.e. the influence of moisture and the smallest impurities on power semiconductors.
▪ Corrosion protection of the so-called aluminium guard rings by glass or polymer passivations in order to keep the reverse voltages of power semiconductors stable
▪ Prediction of corrosion processes, especially from the so-called anodic migration phenomenon (AMP) and electrochemical migration in complex environments such as wind power plants, railway systems or in electromobility
▪ Development and optimisation of high-voltage and high-temperature resistant corrosion protection systems
Current social megatrends were considered:
How do this megatrends affect power electronics?
Two key drivers for power electronics have been clearly identified for the new decade: CO2 reduction to stop the climate change, as well as digitalization.
Additional impacts will arise from the further megatrends of urbanization as well as the demographic change. The shift of global economic powers and especially the transition of China´s role from a customer to a competitor will challenge power electronics industry in Europe.
The ECPE Position Paper ´Next Generation Power Electronics based on Wide Bandgap Devices - Challenges and Opportunities for Europe´ has been compiled in a working group of ECPE Network members. The paper highlights new opportunities related to WBG Power Electronics and key challenges for Europe with technology gaps and research needs.
Consultation Green Paper of the Power Electronics Community in UK on the Prioritisation of Enabling Technologies for Power Electronics to Enable UK Industry to Capitalise on Market Opportunities.
The Technology Working Group (TWG) of PowerelectronicsUK has been undertaking an industry-led effort to identify and prioritise key areas of technology that will have the greatest impact on future power electronics. It must be emphasised that the purpose of the work was not to identify specific technologies such as a preferred wide bandgap semiconductor or converter topology, but instead to identify functional areas where advances in technology would have the greatest overall impact across the industry and for specific industrial sectors. It is the aim to define functional market driven goals against areas of greatest impact.
The scope of this document is to present the status of the art of the available power devices, highlight the main potentiality and limitation and indicate the path for the future materials and device technology that will be required to meet the request for a green energy world. This document is the result of the work of many European researchers either from industrial and academic research centers. This document will hopefully represent a starting point for those who would like to know about the development of power technologies for the implementation of very high efficient systems.
This Strategic Research Initiative for efficient electric power conversion is intended to present a vision of the research targets of key European industry and academic players for the next 20 years and provide a basis for future joint research activities in the area of power electronics.
In the European E4U Project funded in the FP7 Programme the four partners eutema (Austria), ECPE (Germany), Technical University of Madrid (Spain) and Tyndall Institute (Ireland) have analysed strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of power electronics in key applications: power supplies, industrial drives, smart grids & e-mobility as well as buildings and lighting. It has drafted a research roadmap to boost investments in power electronics research and improve Europe’s competitiveness.
This position paper summarises the results and key statements from the European Workshop on ´Energy Efficiency – the Role of Power Electronics´ held on 7 February 2007 in Brussels with 125 participants from 20 European countries. The workshop has been organised by ECPE European Center for Power Electronics in cooperation with EPE Association.
Postal address ECPE e.V.:
ECPE European Center for Power Electronics e.V.
Ostendstrasse 181
D-90482 Nuremberg, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)911 81 02 88-0
© 2018 ECPE European Center for Power Electronics e.V.
