Energy Efficiency

ETF team make Serbia proud at world’s largest student competition for energy efficiency solutions

Photo: ETF

Published

August 2, 2018

Country

Comments

comments icon

0

Share

Published:

August 2, 2018

Country:

Comments:

comments icon

0

Share

The H-Bridges team of students from the University of Belgrade School of Electrical Engineering (ETF) won 4th place and the Best Education Impact award in the International Future Energy Challenge 2018, the world’s largest student competition in the area of innovative and energy efficiency solutions, held in Beijing from July 18 to 22. The first three places went to universities from China, while the Serbian team was ahead of competitors from Germany, the US, Singapore, and Taiwan, as well as other competitors from China.

The H-Bridges team of 16 students from different ETF departments had been developing a device for the competition since May 2017. This year’s competition focused on the development of energy storage devices.

But the financial road to the competition in Beijing was not so smooth. Even though it passed the semifinal, held in San Antonio, the U.S., as the only team from Europe to do so alongside peers from the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, the ETF team faced the problem of covering travel expenses to China. Balkan Green Energy News helped them by publishing an appeal to companies to support the Belgrade team in competing with their peers. Following the appeal, Mining and Energy Minister Aleksandar Antić met the team and promised them his support.

Sixteen students had been developing the device for the competition since May 2017

The H-Bridges team made an excellent result for the University of Belgrade and Serbia in the world’s largest student competition in the area of innovative and energy efficiency solutions, Aleksandar Milić, teaching assistant at the ETF Department of Power Converters and Drive Systems, told Balkan Green Energy News.

“The device developed in the ETF laboratory of digital control of electrical drives met almost all competition requirements,” he said.

During 75 minutes of final testing, 13 out of 15 tests were successfully completed. The main tasks prescribed by the competition were fulfilled, such as bidirectional energy transfer and maximum output power of 1000W in the charging and discharging battery modes. In addition, the team managed to achieve the required energy efficiency in different operating modes, to limit the ripples in relevant currents and voltages within the allowed limits. Protective and control functions were implemented (state machine with an intuitive menu), while the required weight of the device, as well as the thermal and acoustic influence on the environment, were also met.

During 75 minutes of final testing, 13 out of 15 tests were successfully completed

Companies provide support

 As promised, Balkan Green Energy News is publishing the list of companies that made it possible for some of Serbia’s best young minds to shine:

Typhoon HIL

Elsys Eastern Europe

Nordeus

ICCE

uPrinc

Montprojekt

Hi-Tech Corp.

Srbijagas

Elektromreža Srbije

Elektroprivreda Srbije.

Tags: ,
Comments (0)

Be the first one to comment on this article.

Enter Your Comment
Please wait... Please fill in the required fields. There seems to be an error, please refresh the page and try again. Your comment has been sent.

Related Articles

Project 81 MW solar park on coal mine in Montenegro

Project underway for 81 MW solar park on coal mine in Montenegro

24 July 2025 - The Government of Montenegro gave a provisional green light for a solar power plant of 81.1 MW in peak capacity on coal land in Pljevlja

croatia rp global novalja solar ebrd loan

RP Global gets EUR 12.2 million loan for Novalja solar project

24 July 2025 - In late April, Austrian company RP Global began the construction of the Novalja PV plant at the Zaglava site on the island of Pag

solarpower europe report 2025

EU faces first annual solar installation decline since 2015 – report

24 July 2025 - The EU is set to install less new solar in 2025 than it did in 2024 - the first annual drop in a decade, according to SolarPower Europe

Faria Renewables secures financing 49 9 MW battery project Greece

Faria Renewables secures financing for 49.9 MW battery project in Greece

24 July 2025 - Faria Renewables has signed a loan agreement with Attica Bank for the construction of a BESS facility in Greece