NSF Engineering Research Center for Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems

基于宽带隙材料的新型高频高压电力电子；以及显著更高的能量密度存储技术。这种基础设施的创新开发不能指望在当今的集中化模式下发生，在这种模式下，电力公司只寻求渐进的解决方案，研究投资被抑制以实现利润最大化。不能指望通过没有共同标准或试验台的单个研究项目来实现所需的系统方法。

ERC for Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) SystemsAlex Q. Huang, DirectorNorth Carolina State University, Arizona State University, Florida State University,Florida A&M University, University of Missouri-RollaProject SummaryOur vision for the ERC for Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management(FREEDM) Systems is an efficient electric power grid integrating highly distributed and scalablealternative generating sources and storage with existing power systems to facilitate a greenenergy based society, mitigate the growing energy crisis, and reduce the impact of carbonemissions on the environment. We believe the key to solving the energy crisis is not necessarilythe renewable energy itself, but the infrastructure needed to deliver and manage large scaledistributed renewable energy resources (DRER).The mission of the ERC for FREEDM Systems is to develop the fundamental and enablingtechnology to demonstrate the system and, through such development and demonstration,foster a revolution in innovation and technology in the electric power and renewable energyindustries, providing long-term energy security and environmental sustainability for the U.S.Key Goals:Develop the fundamental knowledge base for the FREEDM system and provide fundamentalbreakthrough technology in energy storage and power semiconductor devices. Develop enabling technologies for subsystem and system demonstrations.Develop a 1MW FREEDM green energy hub system to power the ERC headquarters.Develop a diverse group of adaptive, creative, and innovative graduates who advancefundamental knowledge, enabling technology and engineered systems innovations inrenewable electric energy delivery and management systemsDevelop long-term partnerships with middle and high schools, teachers, and students toenhance engineering content knowledge and pedagogical methods, bring engineeringconcepts into the classroom, involve pre-college students in research, and thereby increasethe diversity and enrollment of domestic students in university engineering degree programs.Form long-term partnerships with large and small firms to speed the translation of ERCresearch into commercially viable products, stimulate formation of start-up companies basedon ERC intellectual property, and involve students in all phases of the innovation process.Increase the diversity of the proposed Center?s leadership, faculty, and students to exceedacademic engineering-wide national averages within the first five years of operation.Intellectual Merit: In addition to social, economic, and market challenges to be addressedby the ERC and by the power industry as a whole, barriers include needs for: new systemtheory for the paradigm-shifting FREEDM system; new high-frequency high-voltage powerelectronics based on wide bandgap materials; and significantly higher energy density storagetechnologies. Innovative development of such an infrastructure cannot be expected to occur intodays centralized model, where power companies seek only incremental solutions andresearch investments are suppressed to maximize profits. The systems approach requiredcannot be expected to occur through individual research projects with no common standards ortest bed. To develop the FREEDM system, a multidisciplinary center of excellence is needed topull together our nation?s top expertise in energy system theory, policy, renewable energytechnology, energy storage technology, electronic devices, and communication.Broader Impacts include an increasingly diverse and innovative pool of U.S. engineers;mitigation of global warming; aversion of an energy crisis; innovation in renewable energysystems developed with industry leading to new products, companies, and jobs; integration ofinnovation in multidisciplinary training for graduate and undergraduate students; broadeningparticipation in power engineering through integrated research activities for K-12 teachers andstudents; and improved faculty and graduate student skills in mentoring minorities and women.