Advanced power converters and control systems for photovoltaic, fuel cell, and grid integration technologies
Renewable energy sources require adequate control and power processing to be safely connected to utility grid or even to be directly connected to local loads, e.g. when operating in islanding conditions. This motivates substantial research in power converters devoted to optimize the exploitation of the sources and to properly regulate the power delivery to loads and/or the utility grid.
The Power Electronics Research Group at PIEAS is actively participating in this worldwide research effort, developing innovative solutions for renewable energy integration and smart grid technologies.
The purpose of our research program on renewable energy sources is to study devices, circuits and related control techniques for the exploitation of renewable energy sources, with particular emphasis on the photovoltaic and hydrogen proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technologies. The energy flowing from these sources needs to be properly converted before it is delivered to the typical users, the most important being the utility grid itself.
The areas covered by our research program include:
Advanced converter topologies for fuel cells and AC power modules with high voltage step-up ratios
DC-AC converter topologies and control strategies for power injection into the utility grid
Maximum Power Point Tracking algorithms for photovoltaic generators and solar energy systems
Safety systems for detecting and preventing unintended islanding in grid-connected systems
Intelligent charging algorithms for energy storage systems and battery management
Dynamic modeling of photovoltaic generators and PEM fuel cells for optimization
Interested in renewable energy research, thesis opportunities, or research collaboration?