Nordic Passive
The world’s first two-terminal active capacitor technology
Published online: 17.10.2023
Nordic Passive
The world’s first two-terminal active capacitor technology
Published online: 17.10.2023
Today, power electronics enable efficient conversion and control of electrical energy from e.g. wind turbines to households and other electrical devices. In power electronics, capacitors are the backbone of this conversion. Capacitors are used for:
- Delivery of energy
- Stabilizing the system
- Improving the power quality, and
- Storing of energy
However, conventional capacitors rely on 70-year-old technologies and, thus, comprise a range of limitations such as lack of ability to communicate with the device and extract data, limited performance, and bulky weight and volume.
Nordic Passive, a spin-out company from Aalborg University, aims to disrupt the capacitor market with their innovative capacitor technology.
DISRUPTING A CONSERVATIVE PASSIVE MARKET
Capacitors comprise a total market size of 27 billion USD and plays a critical role in electrical energy conversion systems for green transition. Nordic Passive aims to develop the world's first smart capacitor modules based on their patented capacitor technology. The capacitor technology consists of a combination of a standard electronic circuit and a smart software control algorithm.
The new capacitor modules provide a plug-and-play solution for the customer which decreases the time required for the adoption of the new capacitor technology into existing hardware. Using the technology, customers can potentially reduce their capacitor related:
- Cost by 20-50%
- Size/volume by 30-50% and,
- Weight by 30-50%
Furthermore, the new capacitor technology, customers can double their product-lifetime compared to the existing capacitors used in products and enable wireless communication, connectivity, data extraction and controllable capacitance.
The new smart capacitor modules can replace passive capacitors in general power electronic applications, especially for AC and DC-link applications, online damping for stability, adaptive energy buffering etc. thereby making it applicable for major market segments including power supplies, power transmission, renewable energy, e-mobility, and distribution, drives, inverters, motors, etc.
COMBINING RESEARCH EXCELLENCE WITH COMMERCIAL COMPETENCIES
The active capacitor technology is based on several years of research and is originally invented by Professor Huai Wang, Professor Frede Blaabjerg, and former Assistant Professor Haoran Wang – all from AAU Energy at Aalborg University.
In collaboration with AAU Technology Transfer Office, the technology received an AAU Proof of Concept grant of DKK 500.000 in 2018 for further maturation. In addition, the team joined forces with Søren Mørch, owner of AAU spin-out TKS A/S, to strengthen the technical competencies. At the end of 2019, the team received an InnoExplorer grant of DKK 1,5 mio from Innovation Fund Denmark to strengthen the commercialization of the idea.
In late 2021, Søren Mørch and Huai Wang expanded the team with Finn Christiansen whom in 2022 stepped in as CEO, when Nordic Passive was established. Since then, the spin-out has expanded the team with 2 employees and has been awarded with DKK 500.000 from Norlys Vækstpulje and received a DKK 4,2 mio InnoBooster grant from Innovation Fund Denmark.
In 2023, the active capacitor technology was licensed to Nordic Passive who is expecting to bring the product to the market during 2024.