Theory, methods, and applications of talkative power converters

<p indent="0mm">To confront the escalating challenges of the energy crisis, environmental pollution, and climate change, China has committed to the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality (“dual carbon”), driving the transformation of its energy system. A key technological advancement in this effort is the deep integration of power and communication systems, which represents the frontier to achieve the “dual carbon” goals. Traditionally, power systems and communication systems have developed independently, guided by distinct theoretical frameworks and disciplinary paradigms. There has been minimal overlap in their foundation theories and development paths. However, the large-scale use of power electronic equipment in renewable energy systems has created new opportunities and challenges for the dual modulation of power and information through power electronic converters. This development is paving the way for a deeper integration of power conversion and communication systems, shaping a new direction in smart power electronic conversion technology. Talkative power converters/conversion (TPC) represent a significant advancement in this field. It transforms the traditional role of power electronic equipment, which was primarily focused on regulating electrical power, to one that actively participates in information encoding. This paper explores the fundamental concepts and principles of TPC technology. Building on this foundation, it analyzes the characteristics of the converters across different frequency bands and presents methods for implementing TPC, with a focus on signal injection mechanisms and signal formats. The features and classification framework of various TPC technologies are summarized. Additionally, the design of TPC methods for all categories of power electronic converters, as well as the efficiency of information modulation and data encoding, information transmission models and reliability, and mechanisms for autonomous energy tracing and secure transmission are explored. Finally, the paper introduces typical applications of TPC technology, including photovoltaic power generation, battery energy storage management systems, smart grids, intelligent lighting, and wireless power transfer systems.