Bantval Jayant Baliga wins the 2024 Millennium Technology Prize for contributions to energy efficiency
The 2024 Millennium Technology Prize recognises an innovation that has revolutionised energy efficiency worldwide.
Since Professor Bantval Jayant Baliga developed the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) in 1980s, it has become widely used all over the world in a broad range of applications, such as electric vehicles, solar power plants, microwave ovens, air-conditioning units and medical diagnostic devices.
Over the past 30 years, this energy-saving power semiconductor device has helped to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by more than 82 gigatonnes.
Tomi Roinila, an Associate Professor in Power Electronics at Tampere University, describes IGBT as a groundbreaking innovation.
“The IGBT developed by Professor Baliga combines the advantages of previously used transistors into a single device. IGBT has enabled extremely efficient production and utilisation of electrical energy, significantly advancing the development of renewable energy and the electrification of transportation,” Roinila says.
Baliga and his team are currently working on two new innovations poised to improve energy-efficiency even further. Baliga holds a professorship at North Carolina State University in the USA.
Power electronics are crucial for advancing the green transition
According to Roinila, power electronics is one of the key technologies in our quest for carbon-neutrality.
“Without power electronics, we would not have renewable energy in its current form, nor would we be able to develop electric vehicles,” he says.
Researchers specialising in power electronics are currently working to resolve stability issues related to integrating renewables into the power grid.
“The load on power grids and grid dynamics are constantly changing. Power electronics are highly sensitive to these fluctuations, leading to a range of control and stability issues for any renewable energy sources that are connected to the grid,” Roinila explains.
Intelligent systems for batteries and for solar and wind power plants
At Tampere University, research on power electronics covers various themes, including renewable energy sources, grid-connected systems, electric transportation and energy storage systems.
Our research in this field is world-leading, especially in the dynamic modelling of power electronic systems and the analysis of energy storage systems.
Roinila is focused on addressing the challenges associated with grid-connected energy systems – such as solar and wind power – and the development of rechargeable batteries. Both of these research themes rely heavily on power electronics.
Roinila is involved in developing, for example, an intelligent and self-learning system that can be integrated into both existing and new energy sources.
“This system will be capable of identifying changes in grid dynamics and autonomously adjusting the parameters of the energy source connected to the grid to optimise energy production. This will enable the increasingly effective and widespread adoption of renewable energy sources,” he points out.
Power electronics can also be used to develop longer-lasting batteries.
“We are developing battery-embedded intelligent systems with the potential to substantially extend battery lifetime. This technology will also enable the reuse of batteries in so-called second-life applications. The technologies developed by our research group have already been adopted by Finnish companies,” Roinila says.
Semiconductor pilot line to boost innovation
Pauli Kuosmanen, the Director of Research and Innovation Services at Tampere University, notes that the high quality of the University’s power electronics research consistently generates a diverse range of commercially viable innovations.
”The €40 million we received from the EU to establish a semiconductor pilot line at Tampere University will further enhance our research and innovation capabilities in power electronics. Next-generation wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors will play a key role in future power electronics applications,” Kuosmanen says.
President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb will present the €1 million Millennium Technology Prize to Professor Bantval Jayant Baliga in Helsinki, Finland, on 30 October 2024. The Millennium Technology Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious awards for breakthrough innovations. It is awarded every two years by Technology Academy Finland (TAF), an independent foundation. Tampere University is a partner of the Millennium Technology Prize and the Millennium Innovation Forum.
Professor Baliga visits the Hervanta campus on Monday 28 October
Professor Bantval Jayant Baliga will visit the Hervanta campus of Tampere University on Monday 28 October at 10:15. Baliga will deliver a guest lecture in English, discussing his research, innovations and career. The lecture is open to everyone. Read more about the guest lecture.
