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Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control

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A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Power Electronics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2026 | Viewed by 4898

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Dr. Diego Langarica-Córdoba

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Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Interests: control theory; power electronics; power systems; renewable energies; electromechanical systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electrical power conversion and control technologies are at the core of the ongoing transformation of modern energy and industrial systems. The rapid proliferation of renewable energy sources, electrified transportation, energy storage systems, smart grids, and advanced industrial processes has significantly increased the reliance on efficient, reliable, and intelligent power electronic interfaces. These developments demand innovative converter topologies, advanced control strategies, and robust diagnostic methods capable of operating under increasingly complex and uncertain conditions. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive forum for cutting-edge research addressing emerging trends and practical applications in electrical power conversion and control. Emphasis is placed on novel power converter architectures, high-performance control and modulation techniques, and the integration of wide-bandgap semiconductor devices to achieve higher efficiency, power density, and reliability. Contributions exploring nonlinear, adaptive, predictive, data-driven, and AI-assisted control approaches are particularly encouraged, as these methods are becoming essential for managing the dynamics and constraints of power-electronic-dominated systems. In addition, the Special Issue seeks to highlight applications spanning renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, energy storage, microgrids, HVDC transmission, power quality enhancement, and electrified industrial processes. Both theoretical developments and experimental validations are welcomed, including real-world case studies and comprehensive review articles. By bringing together contributions from academia and industry, this Special Issue aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and advance the development of next-generation electrical power conversion and control technologies that will underpin future energy and electrification infrastructures.

Dr. Diego Langarica-Córdoba
Guest Editor

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Keywords

electrical power conversion
power electronic converters
advanced control strategies
nonlinear and predictive control
wide-bandgap semiconductors
renewable energy integration
electric vehicles and charging systems
battery energy storage systems
power quality and reliability

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 1616 KB

Open AccessArticle

Clarifying and Extending IEC 60848 for Unambiguous GRAFCET Implementation in Embedded Systems

by Angel Gaspar Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Elisabet Estevez-Estevez, Jose Vicente Muñoz-Diez, Pedro Jose Casanova-Pelaez and Joaquin Cañada-Bago

Electronics 2026, 15(13), 2854; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15132854 - 30 Jun 2026

Viewed by 157

Abstract

This work proposes guidelines for coding a grafcet on a microcontroller, following the specifications described in standard IEC 60848:2013. While previous works exist for coding a simple grafcet on platforms like Arduino or STM32, they overlook implementing timers, hierarchical structure, and other advanced resources included in the IEC 60848:2013. Throughout this study, procedures for implementing the majority of the resources described in the standard using pseudocode and C++ are presented. These resources include timers, stored actions, macrosteps, enclosures, and forcing orders, among others. Previously, it has been necessary to identify ambiguities, vagueness, inaccuracies, and the non-modular approach of the IEC 60848:2013 standard that impeded a proper and unequivocal implementation, proposing improvements and interpretations to make it more unequivocal and exportable. Examples are included to illustrate how to apply the proposed guidelines, and a template to assist in coding any grafcet is made available in a repository. As a result, this article provides designers with a complete set of tools and resources to unequivocally implement concurrent discrete-event processes. The implementation on several microcontrollers exhibits exceptional memory efficiency under scaled stress-testing conditions (100 steps and 25 timers): less than 2% of the RAM for STM32F411RE and ESP32, and less than a 1.5% increase in ROM when implementing the analysis of 100 transitions and the definition of 25 timers. This proves its scalability for complex discrete-event applications. Cycle times depend on whether there is access to macrostep expansions and enclosures but are around 80 microseconds for the STM32F411 and 20 microseconds for the ESP32. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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27 pages, 6635 KB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Design and Analysis of a 75 kW Five-Phase Two-Switch Buck–Boost Converter for Photovoltaic Systems

by Marcin Zygmanowski, Dawid Mańka and Jan Strossa

Electronics 2026, 15(13), 2827; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15132827 - 27 Jun 2026

Viewed by 220

Abstract

This paper presents a five-phase, two-switch buck-boost (5P-TSBB) converter rated at 75 kW, intended for photovoltaic and energy storage applications that require a wide operating voltage range. The proposed system operates with photovoltaic input voltages ranging from 250 V to 1000 V and regulates the DC-link voltage between 600 V and 950 V. The converter supports two distinct operating modes: an independent multi-input mode for multiple independent input sources and an interleaved mode for a single high-power input. The feasible operating area of the converter is determined in the V_in–V_out plane, taking into account voltage, current, and power limitations. Simulation results and experimental investigations on a laboratory prototype, including measurements of efficiency and power losses, support the theoretical considerations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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16 pages, 4419 KB

Open AccessArticle

Design of 8-Plate Mixed-Coupling Wireless Power Transfer Coupler with Complementary Modes for AGV Charging Under Rotational Misalignment

by GwanTae Kim and SangWook Park

Electronics 2026, 15(12), 2589; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15122589 - 11 Jun 2026

Viewed by 268

Abstract

This paper proposes a coupling-path reconfigurable mixed-coupling wireless power transfer (CPRMPT) coupler for improving coupler-level transmission stability under rotational misalignment. The proposed coupler forms two coupling modes, namely the adjacent coupling path (ACP) and diagonal coupling path (DCP), by changing the feeding polarity arrangement within the same physical structure. An equivalent-circuit model is used to describe the mode-dependent synthesis of self and mutual LC components, and 3D full-wave analysis is performed under a 100 mm transfer distance and 0–180° rotational conditions. The ACP mode maintains a near-unity maximum transmission coefficient over most rotation angles but shows a transmission null at

90 °

. In contrast, the DCP mode maintains near-unity transmission at

0 °

90 °

, and

180 °

, while null points occur at

45 °

and

135 °

. The extracted mutual parameters show that the ACP

L_{m}

and

C_{m}

decrease from

5.35 μ H

and

0.052 p F

0 °

to nearly zero at

90 °

, whereas the DCP mutual parameters decrease to nearly zero at

45 °

and

135 °

. These results demonstrate that coupling-path reconfiguration can provide complementary transmission paths for rotation-tolerant MPT coupler design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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31 pages, 6821 KB

Open AccessArticle

Microgrid Optimization Technique Using Supervised Learning for Resiliency Enhancement in Power Systems

by Agboola Alao, Olatunji Adeyanju, Manohar Chamana, Stephen Bayne, Md Shahin Munsi, Tyreek Alexander, David Graves and Argenis Bilbao

Electronics 2026, 15(11), 2377; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15112377 - 1 Jun 2026

Viewed by 347

Abstract

This paper addresses key limitations in transmission–distribution (T&D) co-simulation for resiliency, including fragmented modeling, high complexity, synchronization issues, weak renewable control, and data access constraints. A unified co-simulation framework is proposed to optimize microgrid formation and operation in high-penetration renewable systems, improving resiliency while reducing costs and network losses. The developed co-simulation platform enables modular, conflict-free synchronization between transmission and distribution networks without additional handshake software, allowing independent data transfer and seamless co-optimization. The technique assists in transmission and distribution dynamic coordination, supports economic dispatch, and performs three-phase optimal power flow (OPF). An Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) is used for load forecasting and optimization modeling, enabling fast convergence and computational efficiency. The framework supports both grid-connected and islanded modes, including dynamic islanding, reconnection, and load prioritization. Case studies using IEEE 14-Bus transmission with 15-Bus and modified unbalanced 123-Bus distribution systems validate the approach. Results show up to a 68% reduction in operating costs and significant reductions in loss, demonstrating improved resilience, scalability, and secure data exchange for modern power systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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25 pages, 3190 KB

Open AccessArticle

Forecast-Guided KAN-Adaptive FS-MPC for Resilient Power Conversion in Grid-Forming BESS Inverters

by Shang-En Tsai and Wei-Cheng Sun

Electronics 2026, 15(7), 1513; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15071513 - 3 Apr 2026

Viewed by 694

Abstract

Grid-forming (GFM) battery energy storage system (BESS) inverters are becoming a cornerstone of resilient microgrids, where severe voltage sags and abrupt operating shifts can challenge both voltage regulation and controller stability. Finite-set model predictive control (FS-MPC) offers fast transient response and multi-objective coordination, yet conventional designs rely on static cost-function weights that are typically tuned offline and may become suboptimal under disturbance-driven regime changes. This paper proposes a forecast-guided KAN-adaptive FS-MPC framework that (i) formulates the inner-loop predictive control in the stationary αβ frame, thereby avoiding PLL dependency and mitigating loss-of-lock risk under extreme sags, and (ii) introduces an Operating Stress Index (OSI) that fuses load forecasts with reserve-margin or percent-operating-reserve signals to quantify grid vulnerability and trigger resilience-oriented control adaptation. A lightweight Kolmogorov–Arnold Network (KAN), parameterized by learnable B-spline edge functions, is embedded as an online weight governor to update key FS-MPC weighting factors in real time, dynamically balancing voltage tracking and switching effort. Experimental validation under high-frequency microgrid scenarios shows that, under a 50% symmetrical voltage sag, the proposed controller reduces the worst-case voltage deviation from 0.45 p.u. to 0.16 p.u. (64.4%) and shortens the recovery time from 35 ms to 8 ms (77.1%) compared with static-weight FS-MPC. In the islanding-like transition case, the proposed method restores the PCC voltage within 18 ms, whereas the static baseline fails to recover within 100 ms. Moreover, the deployed KAN governor requires only 6.2 μs per inference on a 200 MHz DSP, supporting real-time embedded implementation. These results demonstrate that forecast-guided adaptive weighting improves transient resilience and power quality while maintaining DSP-feasible computational complexity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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14 pages, 2115 KB

Open AccessArticle

Bidirectional Dual Active Bridge Converter with Extended Voltage Range for HEMS Applications

by Vicente Esteve, José Jordán, Alfredo Pomar and Víctor Pérez

Electronics 2026, 15(7), 1391; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15071391 - 26 Mar 2026

Viewed by 767

Abstract

The wide voltage range of energy storage batteries, as currently required in the electric vehicle industry, presents significant challenges for the optimal design of the dual active bridge (DAB) converters used in bidirectional DC–DC (BCD) plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) chargers and home energy management systems (HEMS) applications. This article proposes a DAB converter with an enhanced single-phase-shift (ESPS) modulation that extends the operating voltage range while maintaining zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) conditions by including a DC-blocking capacitor and modifying the trigger sequence of the bridge converter on the secondary side. The operational modes of this modulation scheme are presented, and a control strategy is developed to extend the ZVS range. To validate the concept, a 3.7 kW, 100 kHz prototype is designed and tested, interfacing a 400 V DC bus with a 400–800 V battery. Using 1200 V silicon carbide (SiC) devices, the prototype achieves a peak efficiency of 95.5%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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18 pages, 4313 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of a Novel Three-Port Single-Stage Bidirectional DC–AC Converter for PV-ESS-V2G System

by Chunhui Liu, Yinfu Bao, Celiang Deng, Fan Zhang, Da Wang, Haoran Chen, Wentao Ma, Feng Jiang and Min Chen

Electronics 2026, 15(7), 1360; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15071360 - 25 Mar 2026

Viewed by 561

Abstract

Multiport DC–AC converters are widely used in photovoltaic-energy storage–charging systems, but traditional two-stage schemes face challenges in circuit cost and efficiency improvements. To address this issue, a novel three-port single-stage DC–AC converter is proposed for grid-connected applications. The proposed converter integrates two DC ports and one AC port through circuit multiplexing, eliminating the high-voltage DC bus and reducing system complexity. An unfolding bridge is employed at the AC port, and full bridge circuits are used at DC ports, reducing the number of high-frequency switches. The proposed single-stage topology inherently achieves galvanic isolation and bidirectional power conversion. To achieve accurate grid current regulation and wide-range zero-voltage-switching, a multiple-phase-shift modulation method is developed to ensure a sinusoidal current waveform. The effectiveness of the proposed converter and modulation method is verified through simulation results, demonstrating a peak efficiency of 97% and a total harmonic distortion of 2.91%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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23 pages, 3498 KB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Control of a Modular High-Gain DC–DC Converter with Extensible Switched-Inductor Cells

by Christopher Jesus Rodriguez-Cortes, Panfilo R. Martinez-Rodriguez, Diego Langarica-Cordoba, Alejandro Rolan-Blanco, Gerardo Vazquez-Guzman, Juan Antonio Villanueva-Loredo and Jose Miguel Sosa

Electronics 2026, 15(4), 897; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15040897 - 22 Feb 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 679

Abstract

DC–DC converters have become a key component in the structure of renewable energy systems, where an interface to increase and regulate the output voltage is required. This paper presents a modular non-isolated topology that achieves high voltage gain through interconnected switched-inductor cells. For the proposed converter, the design rules for sizing the energy storage elements for n number of cells are obtained, considering continuous, discontinuous, and boundary operation modes. Therefore, design equations are provided to support the precise selection of passive components according to voltage and power specifications. A nonlinear dynamic model is developed, and a model-based control scheme with inner current and outer voltage loops ensures robust regulation and fast transient response. Experimental validation on a 200 W prototype confirms theoretical predictions under steady-state and real-life dynamic conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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55 pages, 8954 KB

Open AccessReview

A Control-Centric Systematic Review of MARL for EV–Grid Coordination: From Predictive Input to Verifiable Feedback

by Hanieh Taraghi Nazloo and Petr Musilek

Electronics 2026, 15(9), 1902; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15091902 - 30 Apr 2026

Viewed by 513

Abstract

The rapid integration of electric vehicles (EVs) and decentralized renewable energy sources is transforming urban power systems, while simultaneously increasing the complexity of real-time coordination across charging infrastructure, distributed energy resources, and grid-support devices. This systematic review synthesizes recent research on multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) for EV–grid coordination, with emphasis on four emerging dimensions: forecasting-informed control, safety-constrained learning, explainability and interpretability, and trustworthy decentralized coordination. A systematic literature search was conducted in IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, MDPI, and arXiv, covering primarily the period 2016–2025, with selected early-2026 studies retained where relevant, with selected earlier foundational studies retained for context. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 framework. A total of 412 records were identified through database searching; after duplicate removal and screening, 58 studies were included in the final qualitative synthesis. The reviewed literature shows that MARL is increasingly being applied to EV charging coordination, demand-side management, community energy systems, transactive energy, and ancillary grid services. The evidence further indicates that forecasting integration improves anticipatory control, safety-aware formulations enhance operational reliability, and explainability-oriented designs help address transparency and trust barriers in safety-critical grid environments. However, the literature remains limited by heterogeneous benchmarks, inconsistent evaluation metrics, and a lack of real-world deployment evidence. This review provides a structured synthesis of current methodologies, identifies critical research gaps, and outlines future directions for the development of safe, interpretable, and deployment-ready MARL frameworks for urban energy systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Trends and Applications of Electrical Power Conversion and Advanced Control)

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