Johann W. Kolar is a Fellow of the IEEE and has received his PhD degree (summa cum laude) from the Vienna University of Technology, Austria. He is currently a Full Professor and the Head of the Power Electronic Systems Laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich. He has proposed numerous novel PWM converter topologies, modulation and control concepts and has supervised 70+ Ph.D. students. He has published 880+ scientific papers in international journals and conference proceedings and has filed 190+ patents. He received numerous awards, incl. 29 IEEE Transactions and Conference Prize Paper Awards, the 2016 IEEE William E. Newell Power Electronics Award, and 2 ETH Zurich Golden Owl Awards for excellence in teaching. The focus of his current research is on ultra-compact / ultra-efficient SiC and GaN converter systems, solid-state transformers, advanced three-phase inverter concepts for variable speed motor drives, ultra-high speed and bearingless motors / actuators, and design automation in power electronics/mechatronics.

Abstract – Next generation variable speed drive (VSD) systems should feature high power density, should not require shielded motor cables, offer high input and/or output voltage/speed range, ensure low motor power losses and/or applicability of conventional low-cost motor technology, and prevent dv/dt-related motor insulation stresses, bearing currents, as well as reflections on long motor cables. This talk will first present a short literature review on recently proposed VSD PWM inverter topologies employing ultra‐fast switching wide-bandgap (WBG) power semiconductors (GaN and SiC). Different bridge‐leg and output filter structures as well as the filter design procedure and control will be covered. Next, new voltage DC-link and current DC‐link inverter topologies which feature buck‐boost functionality and inherently generate a continuous sinusoidal output voltage are covered, including experimental results of ultra‐compact laboratory demonstrators. Final considerations are on the fast and highly accurate experimental evaluation of SiC/GaN power semiconductors, ceramic capacitors and magnetic core materials, as required for the design of next generation very high switching frequency and highly compact WBG inverter systems. Furthermore, the advantages and challenges of a physical integration of motor and inverter are highlighted and topics of future research on VSD systems at the Power Electronic Systems Laboratory of ETH Zurich are presented.

After finishing University, Dr. Graovac started his professional career in teaching and research at Chair for Power Electronics, Institute for Power- and Electronics Engineering, University of Novi Sad, Serbia in 1995, where his focus was on grid connected power electronics and electric drives. Early 2001. he moved to Germany, where for 5 years he was Research & Development head for Tier 1 companies in power electronics applications like electric motor drives, railway, automotive, airborne systems and superconductors (Baldor Motors and Drives, Atena-MTU, Transtechnik GmbH & Co KG). Graovac joined Infineon Technologies beginning of 2006. First 3.5 years he spent as Principal Engineer for Automotive Application Engineering. Next station of his professional life was Head of Product Marketing for business line Electric Drive Train, Automotive, with global marketing responsibility for Infineon’s power products for Hybrid- and Electric Vehicles. Beginning 2013. he was appointed as Director and Global Head of System Engineering for Automotive Division of Infineon Technologies AG. Born in Novi Sad, Serbia, Dr. Graovac received his PhD, from University of Novi Sad, Serbia. He is IEEE Senior Member and has published over 100 scientific and marketing papers and holds several patents.

Abstract – Mega trends shape the car concept of tomorrow: E-Mobility, Automated Driving, Connectivity and Security. Today, around 80% of all innovation in automotive is related to innovation in semiconductors. In this paper we will take a look at the trends of E-Mobility and Automated Driving. First, we will look at the society needs and legislation, driving those trends. After that we will analyze individual system requirements of electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as automated cars of Levels 3 and beyond, driving, for example, the need for the fail operational systems. In later stage, we will showcase the semiconductor solutions for those requirements, taking a deeper look especially in semiconductor solutions for power electronics and motor drives. Some of the presented technologies will include: wide bang gap semiconductors vs. classical Si-based solutions, advanced packaging and chip embedding, novel current sensors, integrated end of shaft motor position sensors vs. resolver based sensing and automotive microcontrollers of the next generation.

Michail Vasiladiotis received the Diploma in electrical and computer engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece, in 2009, and the Ph.D. degree in Energy from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2014.
Since 2015, he has been with ABB Switzerland Ltd, Turgi, Switzerland, where he is currently a Senior R&D Engineer working on the product development of medium voltage high power multilevel static frequency converters for grid-connected applications.
He is the author/co-author of several journal articles, conference papers and patent applications.

Abstract – Several grid applications, such as railway electrification and converter-fed synchronous machines for variable speed pumped hydro storage plants, require more and more efficient and robust static frequency converters. Direct AC/AC modular multilevel converters constitute very powerful solutions, however, more challenges arise compared to their use in HVDC systems. This keynote addresses topics such as the choice of cell semiconductor device, failure handling, modulation and harmonic performance as well as power losses. Additional aspects such as fulfilling grid code requirements from a closed-loop control perspective as well as global system design optimization are discussed.

Seddik Bacha received the Diploma of Electrical Engineering and the Magister Degree from the Ecole Nationale Polytechnique of Algiers, Algeria, respectively in 1982 and 1990. After 8 year of teaching activity at the Ecole Nationale Polytechnique and Abderahmane Mira University (Bejaia-Bgayet , Algeria) , he joined the Grenoble Electrical Engineering Laboratory in 1990 here he received the Doctorate Degree and "Habilitation à Diriger de Recherche" Diploma from Grenoble National Institute of Technology in 1993 and 1998 respectively. He is currently full professor within Grenoble Alpes University in charge of Electric Engineering, power Electronics, mathematics and control lectures for various undergraduate courses. His main research interests are modeling, control and simulation of energy systems and Supergrids/microgrids. He had supervised in this field more than 50 PhD defended thesis, published one book related to power electronics modeling and control and another one on Electric Vehicle to Grid management issues. He has published nearly 450 journals and conferences papers in his area of expertise. He has been the Power System Group Manager (around 70 people) inside the G2Elab Laboratory during from 2000 to 2012 and Director Deputy of the National Group GDR SEEDS from 2012 to the end of 2017. Currently he is Program Scientific Director within the SuperGrid Institute in Lyon and President of its Scientific Council.
Others : Associate Editor and SS Guest Editor for IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

Abstract – The large-scale integration of renewable electricity generation poses both structural, economic and management challenges. Among the major challenges, one can note the grid integration and the routing of this energy from the production units to the consumption poles. Major issues have to be faced like insufficient transmission capability, inertia reduction, stability margins mitigation. The HVDC is not a new idea but it can provide some interesting answers to these challenges. The keynote will list the locks and how they can be addressed by the HVDC grid. Finally, the underlying scientific issues will be discussed.

Marc Hiller received his Diploma in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University Darmstadt, Germany, in 1999. After one year as R&D engineer for High Power Traction Drives at Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany, he joined the University of Federal Armed Forces in Neubiberg, Germany, where he received the Doctorate Degree in 2008. In 2005 he joined the Low and Medium Voltage Drives Department of Siemens AG in Nuremberg, Germany, where he was the leading project manager in the development of the first Modular Multilevel Converter for Medium Voltage applications including island grid supply and drives in the MW range. In 2015 he joined the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany, where he holds the chair for Power Electronic Systems at the Institute of Electrical Engineering (ETI). His main research focus includes Medium Voltage Converters and PHiL applications as well as energy storage systems.

Abstract – The requirements for highly dynamic power hardware-in-the-loop (PHiL) converter systems depending on their use cases are explained. This includes the application specific requirements for the emulation converters, which must have either a voltage source (e.g. ideal grid) or a current source behavior (e.g. electrical machines, long power lines and cables). Furthermore the dynamic system requirements are discussed, which are significantly defined by the dynamics of the test scenarios to be emulated. Based on this, different emulation converter topologies are presented and compared.

Miroslav Vasić was born in Serbia in 1981. He received the B.S. degree from the School of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia, in 2005. Since then he has been working at Centro de Electrónica Industrial at ETSII (UPM) where he received his M.S. in 2007 and his Ph.D. degree in 2010. He has been working as assistant professor at UPM since 2015.
His research interest includes application of power converters and their optimization. In the recent years great part of his research activities has been related to the research of new semiconductor devices based on GaN and their impact on power electronics.
Miroslav Vasić has published more than 70 peer-reviewed technical papers at conferences and in IEEE journals. In 2012 he received the Semikron Innovation Award for the teamwork on “RF Power Amplifier with Increased Efficiency and Bandwidth.” In 2015 he received a medal from Spanish Royal Academy of Engineering as a recognition of his research trajectory and in 2016 he received UPM Research Projection Award for the best young researcher at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

Abstract – In the last years we have witnessed a dramatic change in the semiconductor technology as Gallium nitride (GaN) and Silicon carbide (SiC) devices have emerged as a possible replacement for silicon devices in various power conversion applications and as an enabler of new applications not previously possible. GaN and SiC are materials with higher and gap, electron velocity and critical electrical field than silicon and they are more suitable for higher voltages and higher frequencies. Nevertheless, with these new technologies questions regarding their price, reliability and their impact on other aspects of the system design arise.
This lecture will try to provide some answers to these questions focusing on the basic physics of GaN transistors and low-voltage (< 1000V) applications where the employment of GaN power switches brings increased energy efficiency and power density. Applications such as communication (power amplifier envelope tracking), transportation (DC-DC power converters for satellites) and renewable energy will be addressed and discussed. Experimental results for all three applications will be presented and critically assessed and a special emphasis will be given to practical issues that must be tackled when a GaN based design is performed: driver selection and common mode problems, PCB design, thermal issues etc.