Symmetry and Efficiency in Power Electronics and Renewable Energy
A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Engineering and Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 2
Special Issue Editors
Interests: proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC); diffusion in gases; electrode; polymer solar cells; polymers; organic photovoltaics
Interests: engineering; catalysis; fuel cell; nanotechnology
Interests: polymeric materials; polymer science; polymer synthesis; material characterization; nanomaterials; polymer technology; energy harvesting
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The theme of "Symmetry and Efficiency in Power Electronics and Renewable Energy" integrates group theory principles to systematize circuit topologies, enhancing modularity, scalability, and power quality in conversion systems. At the module level, symmetries are classified using subgroups of the symmetric group, including cyclic groups for the rotational category. These classifications reduce computational complexity, facilitating systematic topology synthesis over intuitive designs. For interconnections, one-dimensional patterns use linear groups for series/parallel connections, while two-dimensional repetitions employ frieze and wallpaper groups to create grid-connected converters that are capable of theoretically handling infinite voltages/currents with low waveform distortion. In power electronics, symmetry optimizes efficiency through balanced reactive power compensation, as in thyristor reactors for unbalanced low-voltage grids, enabling smooth adjustment with single or split-core topologies to minimize losses. Advanced controllers like passive proportional-integral control for supercapacitor energy storage ensure robust power compensation in AC grids, guaranteeing stability under uncertainties and supporting active/reactive power in renewable energy systems. Symmetric multilevel inverters, such as seven-level switched-capacitor inverters with a voltage gain of three, use unipolar phase-shifted pulse-width modulation, reducing switching stress and filter requirements for DC-AC conversion. For renewable energy systems, symmetry facilitates network topology analysis, multi-phase synchronization, and fault detection, while optimizing microgrid distribution using algorithms to increase the utilization rate and minimize emissions and costs. Voltage stability in DC grids is improved through second-order cone convex programming for constant power loads, while photovoltaic placement models reduce greenhouse gas emissions from diesel generators using mixed-integer nonlinear programming with neural network forecasting. Symmetry breaking in 2D van der Waals photovoltaics can enhance energy conversion efficiency, overcoming the limitations of traditional symmetric structures for high-performance solar applications. Overall, these approaches promote the development of reliable and efficient smart grids and microgrids, addressing intermittency through harmonic mitigation and scalable designs for wind, solar, and hybrid systems.
Prof. Dr. Youssef Naimi
Prof. Dr. Touhami Mokrani
Dr. Rida Farhan
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- renewable energy
- power compensation
- supercapacitor
- photovoltaïc
- grid-connected converters
- switched-capacitor inverters
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