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LUT ENERGY Department of Electrical
Engineering – Research Unit of Power
Electronics for Energy Efficiency and
Sustainability (PEES)
Finland has a strong, globally operating
power electronics industry, and PEES at
Lappeenranta University of Technology
plays a significant role in the development
of Finland’s power electronics industry.
PEES has around 70 employees (5 profes-
sors, c. 15 postdoctoral researchers, and
around 50 post-graduate students). The
PEES research teams work in tight col-
laboration in various application areas of
energy efficiency, energy conversion and
conditioning of energy. The PEES core
competencies are in electrical drives tech-
nology and in electricity power delivery
systems and regulation markets.
In the field of electrical drives technology
(Prof. Juha Pyrhönen), the research
achievements of high international level
are related to permanent magnet tech-
nology, control methods and power elec-
tronics applications (linear drives, mo-
bile drives, solid-rotor high-speed drives,
AC drive technology, wind generators,
model-based control of active magnet
bearings, modulator control of pow-
er electronic devices, power line com-
munication, medium-voltage convert-
ers, smart drives, fuel cells). The research
achievements associated with electricity
markets and power systems (Prof. Jarmo
Partanen) include research activities re-
lated to low-voltage smart grids including
for example new distribution arrange-
ments based on DC systems or 1000 V
AC systems, control of loads instead of
production control, active energy storag-
es, utilization of passenger electric cars in
balancing the production and consump-
tion in the grid and different distributed
generation connected to the grid.
Power Electronics for Energy Effi-
cient Energy Conversion Systems,
Electric Energy Storages and Sustain-
ability (PEECS)
PEECS is a PEES owned research program
focusing on the most significant applica-
tions of power electronics technologies
in industrial drives, distributed electricity
generation, smart grids, transportation,
and to some degree, domestic applica-
tions. PEECS contributes to energy ef-
ficiency enhancement and cost reduc-
tions by accurately controlling the electric
power flow and storage applying intelli-
gent power electronic control and by
replacing mechanical or hydraulic systems
with electrical drives utilizing digital con-
trol algorithms. Our PEECS research infra-
structure is inevitably the strongest in Fin-
land in its own field. Research strength is
assessed based on the number and pro-
ductivity of the main researchers, scientific
output, number of graduated doctors
and international publications, especially,
the quality of the power electronics and
drives laboratory – Motorium Careliae
(Figure 1), which on a European and even
global scale has excellent research facili-
ties with an infrastructure characterized
by 300 m
2
of floor space (+ other labora-
tories), 1 MW power loss maximum,
several test benches for motor drives up
to 1 MW. The maximum speed available
at 1 MW power is 12000 min-1.
Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT)
General view
Drives test bench
Medium voltage H-bridge inverter (3 kV) test setup
