In general, these changes are about shifting the business towards technology solutions and businesses that support the global goals around sustainability (RISE, 2020). This changeover towards electrification brings high demands on the need for new areas of skills, a need that has become increasingly relevant in recent years. Examples of how this has been made visible include the Employment Protection Act agreement (LAS-avtalet in Swedish) from 2021, where prerequisites have been created for skills supply for companies in the industry and lifelong learning in the Swedish labour market in general.
Research in electric power systems
In power systems, there is a large need for research to adapt the grid and all components connected to the grid to future operating conditions. This is a wide area that spans from reinforcement of the grid infrastructure to detailed design and operation of the components connected to the grid.
Since the dynamic operation of the power system depends mainly on the dynamic operation of the components connected to it, the research of these components is of major importance. University West is now building up the research in electric power systems. The research is focusing on stability and robustness in the power system by addressing earthing, load flexibility and power system stability. For power systems, the characteristics can differ significantly between different power systems depending on for example the size of the power system and the generation mix as well as the impact from energy storage and loads. Therefore, it is important to conduct research based on the prerequisites in the Nordic power system in close collaboration with industry.
University West has adjunct personnel that have a central role in industry with the work on the national and Nordic stability in the power system. This is also closely connected to the European regulations and requirements for a stable power system.
Research in electric drivetrains free from rare earth metals
For electric vehicles, the shift in technology from fossil fuels to an electrified driveline requires considerable changes in technologies and a shift in competence requirements for the industry. Knowledge is required of, among other things, battery systems, power electronics, measurement systems, control systems, electromagnetic compatibility and electric motors, as well as all conditions around that change.
Even though there are many electric vehicles on the market, there is still a large potential for improvements in performance but also in sustainability. At University West, research is currently being conducted on electric drivelines with electric machines free of rare earth metals. The magnetic material used is instead ferrite, a national material produced from residual products from the Swedish mining industry. Ferrite has a lower energy density than magnetic materials based on rare earths. To compensate for this, deep theoretical knowledge and understanding of the electric driveline and electric power system are required.
Technology that meets all global sustainability goals
The use of the magnetic material ferrite is a very important step towards a technical solution that meets the three global sustainability goals. Design for reuse and recycling is also a very important part of the work.
By starting from national materials with requirements that the technical solution of the electrical driveline must be designed for recycling and reuse, the research in electrical engineering at UW is at the absolute forefront and has great opportunities to achieve a technical solution that meets all three global sustainability areas.
Through collaboration with relevant industry, the research group spreads the possibility of a technical solution with an electric driveline with an electric motor free of rare earth metals to the relevant industry. UW is thus to the highest degree involved in and drives development within technical solutions that meet all global sustainability goals.
