IEEE, Google launch inverter competition

New York – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power Electronics Society  (IEEE-PELS) and Google have launched a $1 million contest for engineers to design a kilowatt-scale power inverter that can convert renewable energy into electricity.

The Little Box Challenge is looking for a design that shrinks inverters by 10 times their current size, while providing high power density – at least 50W per cubic inch, according to the competition’s website. The winning design will receive a $1 million prize.

Inverters are boxes that take direct current from devices such as solar panels and batteries and turn it into alternating current so it can be used in homes, businesses, and cars.

According to the companies, a smaller inverter could lead to higher efficiency, increased reliability, and lower energy costs.

“We are very pleased to present this important initiative together with Google to encourage innovation. By participating in this challenge, members of industry and academia can play a pivotal role in a technological innovation that could have a major impact on the world,” said IEEE PELS President Don Tan.

Registration for the competition is due by Sept. 30, and the contest runs through 2015. For more information, visit the Little Box Challenge website.

Source: IEEE