IEEE Electrification Magazine at Its Best: Bridging the Gap Between Technical and Nontechnical [10th Anniversary Celebration]

Abstract

Modern society is based on a stable supply of energy and especially electrical energy. But our planet’s energy needs and sources are changing drastically. New technologies are rapidly evolving through the current global electrification revolution which are driving up the demand for electricity. Much of the emerging technologies in transportation and distributed energy resources (DER) are strongly influenced by decarbonization goals to address global energy supply challenges and environmental concerns. In transportation, global electric vehicles (EVs) sales exceeded 10 million units in 2022 and are projected to grow by 35% in 2023. We may be seeing thousands of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, i.e., four passenger capacity eVTOL air-vehicles, flying in cities in the next decade. Renewable energy integration into the power grid, particularly that of wind and solar, are increasing at an unprecedented rate, with many countries around the world setting net-zero and clean energy targets for the next two decades. In December 2022, the state of South Australia set a new record for renewable energy generation and resilience after running entirely on renewable energy for 10 consecutive days and exported excess electricity to a neighboring state. So how can you keep up with the electrification revolution and related technological advancements?