With the continuous electrification of various industries, the range of applications and ratings of high-power converters are expected to expand further. To reduce CO2 emissions, electrification is being promoted not only for new fields of use but also with increased capacity and performance for the existing industrial and power system applications. Some examples are the conversion of blast furnaces to electric furnaces in steel production, large-capacity HVdc transmission, on-shore and off-shore renewable energy generation, MVdc power distribution networks, STATCOMs, high current rectifiers for hydrogen production, electrification of the mining sector, on-shore power supply for vessels at ports, large-scale data centers, etc. All these and many more applications require multi-MW conversion solutions, some even at the GW level.
At the IEEE Future of Electronic Power Processing and Conversion (FEPPCON XII) 2024, a session was convened to explore the current and anticipated requirements of these applications from an industrial perspective, along with their implications for future technological advancements. Prof. Drazen Dujic, EPFL, Switzerland, organized and chaired the session, with Prof. Liuchen Chang, University of New Brunswick, Canada, diligently taking notes. Three presentations were delivered by esteemed experts in the field, each addressing a distinct industrial segment.
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