Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marc Hiller is a professor at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where he leads research in electrical drive systems and power electronics for e-mobility. His work focuses on the design, control, and optimization of electric machines, inverters, and integrated drive systems. He has extensive experience in industrial and academic development of traction drives for electric and hybrid vehicles and contributes to research on efficient, compact, and reliable propulsion technologies.
Tell us more about you and your research area
What area are you working in?
At our institute we work in the field of power electronics, i.e. the conversion of electrical energy using power semiconductors.
In addition, we deal with the application-oriented use of all kinds of energy storage technologies to build future energy grids as efficiently and robustly as possible.
Which industries do you support with your research?
We support manufacturers of converter systems and power semiconductors. Furthermore we are in strong collaborations with users of power electronic systems, e. g. grid operators.
Thinking about your research area and the influences on industry, environment, or the society, what are the risks/what are your worrying about?
I am concerned that energy system transformation will be delayed due to hesitant and short-term thinking by stakeholders. An objective pricing of CO2 emissions is therefore urgently needed to promote and quickly establish the necessary technologies.
Thinking about your research area and the influences on industry, environment, or the society what are the opportunities, what makes you feel optimistic?
In the medium and long term, electrical grids at all voltage levels will develop into meshed networks dominated by power electronics, with decentralized generation and storage of energy and bidirectional power flow. For this reason, power electronics will be able to make a very decisive contribution to the success of the energy and mobility transition.
What are you particularly proud of? / Your greatest success
My greatest success in industry has been the award as inventor of the year 2009 in Siemens AG as well as the first successful commercial commissioning of a completely new power converter technology.