While there is no consensus in the engineering community about the causes of global warming, there is also no doubt that society’s focus on the issue brings tremendous opportunity to the electronics industry — and, in particular, to power-electronics designers. Added to the fears about climate change are the skyrocketing cost of energy and a political push for energy independence, all setting the stage for innovation and investment in energy efficiency.
At the center of tomorrow's energy solutions is power-systems design. And at the heart of the companies showing the way are the power-industry CEOs. These are the thinkers who have the vision to push beyond society's inertia and industry’s typical short-term focus to find better ways to power our world — to build more efficient IT infrastructures, to cleanly fuel our transportation and to efficiently recharge our digital lifestyle.
In our second-annual CEO focus, we look at the people and the philosophies behind these new approaches. Our editorial mission at Power Electronics Technology is to keep you on the forefront of power technologies. In this special issue, we also put the technology into context of the ideas behind the products.
I'd be hard-pressed to think of another group of people or set of technologies that can have greater impact for today and for tomorrow. Beyond the environmental considerations, power efficiency is central to moving electronic design beyond its current limits. The mobile/digital revolution that is transforming our society requires that our next-generation devices must run longer and more efficiently.
Our CEO issue shines the spotlight on the leaders who are rising to these challenges, motivated both by the opportunity to make an impact on society and to find the innovations that will distance their companies from the pack. We hope that this CEO issue will be an inspiration to you in your work, as you also consider how power design can have an impact on both your company’s success and on a greener future.