Bodo's Current Issue

Editorial

Back in Nuremberg for Asparagus!

We are now approaching the annual European highlight – the PCIM Europe in Nuremberg - after a successful start in the year with the APEC show in Long Beach. Nuremberg has been an innovations hub since Peter Henlein started making, and possibly even invented watches, back in 1505. Today, it is semiconductors and drive applications that play the important role in Nuremberg.

New power semiconductor materials are gaining more and more momentum for practical applications in volume. GaN serves higher voltages and is being put to use in inverter drives. Significant steps were evident at APEC and we will see more coming. Contributed articles in this issue cover much of this.

Again, this year, my “Podiums” discussion will take place at the PCIM Industry Forum in Hall 9, Booth 461, on Wednesday the 15th from 12:20 to 13:20. The subject this year is “Energy Harvesting”. I look forward to seeing you there!

My friends at PowerGuru have put several apps in place to access the articles in my magazine and on the PowerGuru (www.powerguru.com) portal directly on your smart phone. The apps can be downloaded by searching on Google Play or Apple iTunes for 'power electronics', 'PowerGuru', or 'Bodo's Power.' We welcome and look forward to comments, suggestions and feedback from those who are reading us on their mobile devices.

There are significant challenges and opportunities facing renewable energy sources. Through more efficient usage, overall electrical power consumption has recently decreased and the portion thereof provided by renewables has increased. Nevertheless, it would be a great to be able to store energy when the wind blows and the sun shines and there is no immediate need. The old-fashioned way has been pumped storage with water turbine-generators, but now experts are focusing on storing energy in basements in super capacitors or batteries, and on developing a smart grid with the batteries of electric vehicles.

The introduction of electric vehicles is proceeding slowly. There are too many problems that still need solutions to make an all-electric car universally attractive. Hybrid-electrics can provide a more efficient drive system and can recuperate braking energy, but still incorporate a combustion engine. The well-publicized issues with Boeing’s Dreamliner have shown that the industry is still in a learning phase with regards to high-energy battery packs.

But communication is the way to progress. We delivered twelve issues last year and will continue this year, each month, on time, every time. Last year I published nearly 900 pages and 132 technical articles, a continuous growth since I started my publication. This year, with my May issue, we have 52 technical articles amongst 322 pages. As a media partner, Bodo’s Power Systems is internationally positioned. If you speak the language, or just want to take to look, don’t miss our Chinese version: www.bodospowerchina.com

My Green Power Tip for May:
Eat harvest-fresh white asparagus freshly peeled and cooked! Without refrigeration, you save electric energy consumption. So, enjoy the short asparagus season in Germany while visiting PCIM Europe in Nuremberg. See you there!
Best Regards,
Bodo

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