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Power Electronics Accelerator Consortium for Electrification

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The Power electronics Accelerator Coalition for Electrification (PACE) is a coalition of research institutions, utilities, and industry manufacturers working to take power electronics innovations to grid-level pilot demonstration and use in the field. Stakeholders combine forces to speed up broad adoption of these technologies, which are vital to support wider integration of clean energy systems in the U.S. electric grid.

Power electronics: Metal box full of wiring and electrical components

Meeting U.S. goals of shifting to a carbon-neutral, domestic energy power sector by 2050 will require modernizing grid architecture and system management. This means an expanded role for power electronics, which provide improved reliability, automation, and intelligence compared to mechanical systems.

PACE will drive these advances at all levels, from primary components to transmission-level grid integration. Power electronics systems are a cross-cutting technology supporting solar, wind and hydrogen energy generation as well as battery storage, electric vehicles, and buildings. Developing modular, interoperable power electronics components for each stage of power delivery will enhance electric reliability and make grid integration more affordable for utilities and their customers.

Four men working in a microgrid test bed lab, surrounded by many large metal cases filled with power electronics

The PACE framework consists of four primary research areas that correspond with various stages of technology development:

  • Advanced components and power stages
  • Advanced converter systems
  • Resource integration and management
  • Grid integration and demonstration

The coalition provides a framework to incubate ideas and provide hardware and software services to take the idea to fruition, then provide a platform to transition the technology to field demonstration. A variety of pathways are available for partnership opportunities, including basic research and development programs, tech collaborations, and industry-led projects.

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