Power Converters for Energy Storage Systems, from Ultra-Low to High-Power Energy Generation Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Energy harvesting technologies are widely used for the recovery of wasted environmental energy due to the global energy crisis, rising power demands, and environmental pollution, which has led to alternative methods of powering industries, households, and electronic devices. Alternative methods of regenerating power can range from ultra-low to high power.

Energy harvesting methods enable systems to be self-powered by scavenging ambient energy and eliminating the need for batteries. Energy scavenging can be achieved using electromagnetic, electrostatic, thermoelectric, and piezoelectric technologies.

Power electronic-based power systems (PEPSs) are considered more flexible than traditional power systems. In a PEPS, energy resources (e.g., photovoltaic systems and wind turbines), loads, and energy storage systems (ESSs) can be connected to the system via power converters. Due to the uncertainty in the loads and the stochastic production of renewable energy resources, ESSs can be implemented to increase the flexibility of a system by storing and releasing electrical energy. To operate ESSs, bidirectional DC/DC power converters can be used to connect the ESSs to the power grid. Power converters are controllable components, and electrical and mechanical issues should be  managed in line with the proper operation of ESSs. For electrical issues, different types of controllers with different objectives can be considered. Additionally, for mechanical issues, the heat produced in the converter (under operation) should be considered. Typically, energy optimization and intelligent control systems require broad monitoring and actuating systems. Since these systems may be located far from the network, it is often difficult to create these intelligent networks. Energy harvesting from available mechanical and thermal heat sources is one environmentally friendly approach to energy optimization using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) methods. Additionally, a piezoelectric or thermoelectric generator will provide inconstant power outputs depending on their source types. However, sensors and actuators require a constant and fixed power supply; a DC/DC converter synchronized with a power storage mechanism can overcome the disadvantage of using energy harvesters for self-powered off-grid applications. The compatibility of the DC/DC converter and the storage system can determine the performance of the energy harvester. This Special Issue focuses on all aspects of DC/DC power converters (i.e., their electrical, mechanical, and thermal-based applications).

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a basis for converters of regenerative energy sources, ranging from low- to high-level power generation. This Special Issue focuses on all aspects of DC/DC power converters (i.e., their electrical, mechanical, and thermal-based applications).

We place special emphasis on converters for new and advanced energy harvesting technologies such as piezoelectricity, thermoelectricity, pyroelectricity, and triboelectricity, and the challenges associated with the power conversion of these technologies, which require ultra-low-power-consumption power converters with high efficiency with the ability to cold-start from low voltage levels. In addition, this Special Issue focuses on advanced methods for PEPSs, such as Artificial Intelligence and the IoT, for developing smart and efficient energy conversion systems.

This Special Issue covers, but is not limited to, the following topics:

• Power electronic-based power systems (PEPS).
• Power converters for mechanical, kinetic, and thermal heat sources.
• Electronics for self-powered sensors.
• Microelectronics for biomedical electronic devices.
• DC/DC converters.
• Bidirectional DC/DC power converters.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) for converters.
• Internet of Things (IoT) for self-powered smart sensors.
• Ultra-low-power-consumption power converters.
• Energy harvesting and power converters, vibration EH, nonlinear EH, piezoelectric-based EH, thermal EH, etc.

Dr. Majid Khazaee
Dr. Mohammad Reza Habibi
Dr. Ali Mohammadnia
Dr. Fabio Viola
Dr. Nihal Kularatna
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Electronics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• power converters
• low-power energy harvesting converter
• AI in power converters
• IoT and the application of power converters
• microelectronics
• biomedical sensors
• mechanical energy harvesting
• heat energy harvesting
• biomedical electronic devices