The role of power electronics in the utility grid is continually expanding. As converter design processes mature and new advanced materials become available, the pace of industry adoption is poised to accelerate. Looking forward, we can envision a future in which power electronics are as integral to grid functionality as the transformer is today. The Enabling Advanced Power Electronics Technologies for the Next Generation Electric Utility Grid Workshop was organized by Sandia National Laboratories and held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 17-18, 2018. The workshop helped attendees to gain a broader understanding of power electronics R&D needs—from materials to systems—for the next generation electric utility grid. This report summarizes discussions and presentations from the workshop and identifies opportunities for future efforts.
Read/download the Workshop Summary Report
Questions:
Stan Atcitty
(505) 284-2701
satcitt@sandia.gov
Click here to view biographies for speakers, presenters, and panelists. See speaker names below for links to their presentations.
| Monday, July 16 | |
|---|---|
| 5:00 pm | Check-in |
| Tuesday, July 17 | |
| 7:00 am | Check-in and Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00 | Welcome and Overview Stan Atcitty, Sandia National Laboratories |
| 8:10 | Sandia National Laboratories Overview Carol Adkins, Sandia National Laboratories |
| 8:30 | Energy Storage Impact on the Grid Imre Gyuk, DOE Office of Electricity |
| 8:40 | Session 1: What does the electric utility grid look like if power electronics (PE) are readily available (i.e., ultra-low cost, ultra-high reliability, and superior performance PE)?
Chair: Stan Atcitty, Sandia National Laboratories Panelists:
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| 10:00 | Break |
| 10:15 | Session 2: What is the state-of-the-art of power electronics today?
Chair: Kaushik Rajashekara, University of Houston Presenters:
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| 11:15 | Lunch (onsite) |
| 12:45 pm | Session 3: What components are needed to achieve the Session 1 vision?
Chair: Bob Kaplar, Sandia National Laboratories Panelists:
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| 1:45 | Break |
| 1:50 | Session 4: What power electronics topologies are needed to achieve Session 1 vision?
Chair: Satish Ranade, New Mexico State University Panelists:
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| 3:00 | Break |
| 3:15 | Poster Session |
| 4:15 | Reception |
| 6:15 | Adjourn |
| Wednesday, July 18 | |
| 7:30 am | Continental Breakfast |
| 8:30 | Welcome and Recap of Day 1 Babu Chalamala, Sandia National Laboratories |
| 8:45 | Session 5: What role do power electronics play in making the grid smarter? (i.e. self-healing, self diagnostics, virtual inertia, etc.)?
Chair: Charles Hanley, Sandia National Laboratories Presenters:
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| 9:45 | Break |
| 10:15 | Session 6: What role do power electronics play in system integration, standards, and safety?
Chair: Adel Nasiri, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panelists:
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| 11:15 | Wrap-up and closing comments Stan Atcitty, Sandia National Laboratories |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch (on-site) |
| 1:00 PM | Adjourn |
The workshop will be held at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, conveniently located in the heart of Old Town. The hotel is easily accessible from I-40 and within 15 minutes of Albuquerque International Sunport Airport. Historic landmarks, restaurants, local shopping favorites, and many other attractions are within walking distance.
Reserve a room at the workshop rate of $93 a night (plus taxes and fees).
Click here to register for this event; select 2018 Power Electronics Workshop from the dropdown menu at the top of the form. The registration fee of $175 per person includes all workshop sessions, continental breakfast, and lunch.
