The role power electronics in future energy systems and green industrialization

One important aspect of clean energy or green industrialization is the search for technologies (CTpsilas) that can reduce the major environmental impact of present energy sources. Alternative energy sources (AES) like micro-turbines, photovoltaic (PV), fuel cells, wave energy and wind turbines seem to meet the requirement for clean energy. Integrating these on-site generating sources into the larger electric power system grid, known as distributed energy resources (DER), can provide a more reliable and better quality power to consumers, increase the overall efficiency of the distribution system, and reduce the need for infrastructure associated with new or aging central generation power systems. Most of these energies are converted to electrical energy using power electronics converters. Also, AES provide clean energy for non-grid connected or stand-alone applications such as transportation systems in electric and hybrid vehicles, all electric aircrafts and ships and high speed trains. In all applications grid-connected or stand alone, power electronic converters are needed to interface the energy sources to the various loads. Therefore, power electronics is vital to the future energy systems and process of green industrialization. This paper is intended to give an overview of the role of power electronics in DERs in both grid connected and stand-alone applications and the process of green industrialization.