Energy, environment, and advances in power （能源、环境、和进步的力量）.PDF

688 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, VOL. 15, NO. 4, JULY 2000 Energy, Environment, and Advances in Power Electronics Bimal K. Bose, Life Fellow, IEEE Abstract— The technology of power electronics has gone through and the environment was relatively clean. Then, in 1785, the rapid technological advancement during the last four decades, and invention of steam engine by James Watt of Scottland brought recently, its applications are fast expanding in industrial, commer- industrial revolution. It was the beginning of mechanical cial, residential, military and utility environments. In the global in- dustrial automation, energy conservation and environmental pol- age, or age of machines. The advent of internal combustion lution control trends of the 21st century, the widespread impact of engine in the late nineteenth century gave further momentum power electronics is inevitable. The paper begins with a discussion to the trend. Gradually, industrial revolution spread from on global energy generation scenario and the corresponding en- Europe to America, and then to the rest of the world. In vironmental pollution problem. The mitigation of this problem is 1888, Nickola Tesla invented commercial induction motor. then discussed with particular emphasis on energy saving with the The commercial dc machine came somewhat earlier, and help of power electronics. A brief but comprehensive review of the recent advances of power electronics that includes power semicon- synchrono