Keynote 2 - Jonas Huber

Let’s make sure that power electronics plays its key role in a 2050 energy system while maximizing circularity and minimizing environmental impact

Keynote summary

Power electronics is a key technology of a future renewable energy system that must provide a minimum EROEI (Energy Return on Energy Invested) to support complex industrial societies, despite challenges like the need for storage and transmission, and raw material constraints.  Thus, the talk discusses first a “more-with-less” approach in power electronics, i.e., highly compact and highly efficient power converters, and then the need to pursue a “zero-waste” paradigm towards fully circular economy compatible power electronics. The talk closes with highlighting the role of power electronics in the electrification of “hard-to-abate” industry sectors.

Biography

Jonas Huber received his PhD from ETH Zürich 2016. He then gained industry experience with ABB Switzerland until 2020, when he returned to the Power Electronic Systems Lab of ETH Zürich. Since 2024, he leads the Advanced Mechatronic Systems Group at ETH. His research focuses on solid-state transformers, motor drives, and all kinds of compact, efficient converter and mechatronic systems and their environmental impacts. He has coauthored 70+ papers, a book chapter, and filed 10+ patents.