Wireless Power Transfer for Rail Electrification

Dr. Tiefu Zhao from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, along with Dr. Shen-En Chen and Dr. Nicole Braxtan from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has spearheaded groundbreaking research to develop the first wireless power transfer (WPT) technology for railway applications in the U.S. This research has secured over $1 million in funding from prestigious sources such as USDOT and NCDOT, published 11 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers on this topic, including receiving the Best Paper Award from the IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference (ITEC). This innovation has garnered significant recognition from major industry leaders and national laboratories, including Deutsche Bahn, BMW, Eaton, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products (MEPPI), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The achievement was also highlighted in the PBS Charlotte TV episode “TRAIL OF HISTORY: Historic Infrastructure” in March 2023.  The development of WPT for rail applications represents a crucial step toward transportation electrification, aligning with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to electric railways powered by renewable energy sources.  For further details please click here.