Medium Voltage Power Electronics is showing interesting developments, both in improved power semiconductor devices and in new applications. Based on the main applications of medium voltage converters in variable speed motor drives, new applications have the opportunity to increase the market volume, and the semiconductor industry is already reacting. For example, two years ago a new voltage class of 2.2 kV SiC MOSFETs was introduced for photovoltaic (PV) applications that can handle system voltages up to 1500 VDC. And this is not the end of PV developments. The isolation voltage of commercial PV modules is currently being increased to 2 kV, according to the limit set by standards in the USA and China. Further developments of 3 kV PV strings with glass-glass modules are the subject of ongoing research. Similar technological improvements are also being made in wind power and utility-scale battery energy storage systems. Another emerging application is long-distance transport, where the main manufacturers are focusing on battery-powered electric trucks. This is also supported by the European expansion plan for high-performance charging stations. These stations are to be built every 50 km along European motorways over the next 10-15 years. The electrical power of such a station will be in the range of 8-30 MVA, which can be compared with the average demand of a small town. Low-voltage systems cannot reasonably cope with this power. The trend towards ever higher power levels can also be observed in other applications in which electrification due to the energy transition and higher overall power demands prevail. This workshop is dedicated to the upcoming medium-voltage applications and the latest technologies that enable efficient and compact medium-voltage converter systems.

All presentations and discussions will be in English language.