The ongoing energy transition is increasingly enabled by advances in batteries, information and communication technologies, and power electronics. Power electronics in particular has emerged as a key enabler, acting as a game changer for electromobility, the large-scale integration of renewable energy sources, grid-connected battery storage, and the reliable operation of energy-intensive infrastructures such as data centres. As electrification scales up, conventional AC-based architectures face limitations in terms of efficiency, controllability, and flexibility. In this context, low-voltage and medium-voltage direct current (LVDC and MVDC) systems are gaining attention as promising alternatives to further support sustainable electrification. By reducing conversion stages and enabling more controllable power flows, DC systems offer opportunities for more flexible yet reliable operation, particularly at higher power levels. This seminar discusses the potential of LVDC and MVDC technologies, as well as the associated technical and operational challenges, drawing on research conducted at KU Leuven and the EnergyVille research centre in Belgium. Specific use cases, including high-power charging infrastructure for electric trucks and the powering of data centres, are presented to illustrate the opportunities and remaining hurdles for DC-based power systems in the energy transition.

Johan Driesen received the MSc degree in 1996 as Electrical Engineer from the KU Leuven, Belgium. He received the PhD degree in Electrical Engineering at KU Leuven in 2000. In 2000-2001 he was a visiting researcher in the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK. In 2002 he was working at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. Currently, he is a full professor at the KU Leuven and teaches power electronics, renewables, drives and electromobility. He conducts research on distributed energy resources, including renewable energy systems, low-voltage DC-systems, power electronics and its applications, for instance in renewable energy, storage and electric vehicles. Within EnergyVille, the research collaboration specializing in energy in smart cities and buildings, in cooperation with VITO and Imec, Johan Driesen is involved in the programmes on power electronics, power systems and distributed energy sources. Currently he serves as the director of the KU Leuven Institute of Energy and Society. In 2026, he became an IEEE fellow for “contributions to the integration of renewables and electric vehicles in the electricity grid”.