ABOUT
About The Center for Power Electronics Systems
The Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES) with annual research expenditures of $6-7 million dollars, is dedicated to improving electrical power processing and distribution that impact systems of all sizes – from battery-operated electronics to vehicles to regional and national electrical distribution systems.
CPES has a worldwide reputation for its research advances, its work with industry to improve the entire field, and its many talented graduates. From 1998-2008, CPES was a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center (NSF ERC). A collaboration of five universities and many industrial firms, the CPES ERC was the largest-ever collaboration of power electronics researchers. During the ERC period, CPES developed the IPEM (Integrated Power Electronics Modules), a standardized off-the-shelf module that has revolutionized power electronics.
Today, CPES is building on that foundation so that power electronics can fulfill its promise and reduce energy use while helping electronics-based systems grow in capability.
CPES expertise encompasses five technology areas:
- Power conversion technologies and architectures;
- Power electronics components;
- Modeling and control;
- EMI and power quality;
- High density integration.
The Center’s targeted applications include:
- Power management for information and communications technology;
- Point-of-load conversion for power supplies;
- Vehicular power conversion systems;
- Renewable energy systems.
The CPES industry consortium comprises over 80 members engaged with the Center to stay abreast of technological developments in power electronics. The consortium provides an ideal forum for networking with leading-edge companies and top-notch researchers. Designed with a multi-tiered structure to meet the varying needs of industry, CPES membership levels include 4 categories -- Principal Plus, Principal, Associate, and Affiliate.
The power electronics program at Virginia Tech was initiated in 1977 under the name of Power Electronics Research Group (PERG). In 1983, the group became a university center and was renamed Virginia Power Electronics Center (VPEC). In the same year, the VPEC Industry Partnership Program was established. In 1987, VPEC became a Technology Development Center of Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology. In 1998, VPEC won the NSF ERC award and CPES was formed with 4 partner universities -- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, North Carolina A&T State University, and University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez.
Statistics
Program Brochures & Annual Reports:
- 2024 CPES Annual Report (April 2024) [6.8 MB]
- 2023 CPES Annual Report (April 2023) [7.4 MB]
- 2022 CPES Annual Report (April 2022) [16.9 MB]
- 2021 CPES Annual Report (April 2021) [16.0 MB]
- 2020 CPES Annual Report (April 2020) [30.0 MB]
- 2019 CPES Annual Report (April 2019) [30.0 MB]
- 2018 CPES Annual Report (April 2018) [80.7 MB]
- 2017 CPES Annual Report (April 2017) [76.6 MB]
- 2016 CPES Annual Report (April 2016) [8.6 MB]
- 2015 CPES Annual Report (April 2015) [37.5 MB]
- 2014 CPES Annual Report (April 2014) [40.5 MB]
- 2013 CPES Annual Report (April 2013)
- 2012 CPES Annual Report (April 2012)
- CPES Center Brochure (April 2011)
- CPES Mini-Consortium Brochure (April 2011)
- CPES 10-Year Progress Report (April 2010) [34.8 MB]
- Center Program Snapshot (April 2009) [3.66 MB]
Tentative CPES Conference Dates:
- 2023: April 3-5
- 2024: April 7-10
- 2025: April 13-16
