Power Electronics Enabling Efficient Energy Usage: Energy Savings Potential and Technological Challenges

• Published in: IEEE transactions on power electronics Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 2338 - 2353
• Main Authors: Popović-Gerber, J., Oliver, J. A., Cordero, N., Harder, T., Cobos, J. A., Hayes, M., O'Mathuna, S. C., Prem, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.05.2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Buildings; Conversion; Electric currents; Electric potential; Electric power; Electric power generation; electric vehicles (EVs); Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electricity; Electronic equipment and fabrication. Passive components, printed wiring boards, connectics; Electronics; Energy conservation; Energy consumption; energy conversion; energy savings; Exact sciences and technology; Fluorescent lamps; High intensity discharge lamps; Illumination; lighting; Miscellaneous; Power electronics; Power electronics, power supplies; Power networks and lines; Power supplies; smart grids; variable speed drives (VSD); Various equipment and components; Lighting equipment; Buildings; Power supply; Power electronics; Electric vehicle; electric vehicles (EVs); lighting; power supplies; Smart grid; Energy savings; Energy source; variable speed drives (VSD); Variable speed drive; smart grids; Electrical network; European Union; Energy conversion; Electric power consumption; Electric energy; Adjustable speed drive
• ISSN: 0885-8993; 1941-0107
• DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2011.2171195

Power electronics is a key technology for the efficient conversion, control, and conditioning of electric energy from the source to the load. In this paper, the potential of power electronics for energy savings in four major application fields, buildings and lighting, power supplies, smart electricity grid, and industrial drives, is investigated. It is shown that by wider adoption of power electronics in these areas, the current European Union electricity consumption could be reduced by 25%. The technology challenges for exploiting this potential for all the four areas are identified in the paper.