Recently, the IEEE Energy Storage Technology Meeting 2025 was held in Shanghai, where the results of the 2025 IEEE PES Energy Storage (China) “Outstanding Student” selection were announced. Pang Jupeng and Zhang Congjia, doctoral students (Class of 2022) from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics (EEA) of Tsinghua University, stood out among numerous candidates and were awarded the title of 2025 IEEE PES Energy Storage (China) “Outstanding Students”.

Award Introduction

Against the backdrop of the global energy transition, energy storage technology, as a key enabler for the efficient utilization of renewable energy and the stable operation of new-type power systems, is undergoing rapid development and iteration, with new technologies, new systems, and new applications emerging continuously and research outcomes becoming increasingly abundant. IEEE PES has long been committed to promoting the in-depth development and wide application of energy storage technologies. In order to encourage outstanding students in the field of energy storage, enhance innovation potential, and inject fresh talent into the energy storage sector, the IEEE PES Energy Storage Technical Committee (China) established the IEEE PES Energy Storage (China) “Outstanding Student” Award starting in 2024. Adhering to the principle of “selection of the best,” no more than five students are selected each year.

Introduction of Awardees

Pang Jupeng is a direct-entry doctoral student (Class of 2022) in EEA, supervised by Professor Li Yongdong. His research focuses on multilevel converter topology control and power module packaging. He has published more than ten journal and conference papers, and has received numerous honors including the National Graduate Scholarship, one of the first batch of “Tanzhen Scholars” at Tsinghua University, Outstanding Presentation Award at a sub-forum of the China Power Supply Society Annual Conference, Best Presentation Award at IEEE PELS SSPEL-Asia, and Outstanding Academic Presentation Award at the Doctoral Parallel Forum of the Yanqi Energy Forum.

In addition, he actively participates in academic community service, serving as Treasurer of the IEEE PES Tsinghua University Student Branch and assisting in organizing the IEEE PES Day 2025 China events. As an academic assistant of the Graduate Affairs Group of the Department of Electrical Engineering, he successfully organized the 2025 Tsinghua University–IET Electrical Engineering Academic Forum and the 779th Tsinghua University Doctoral Forum, providing a high-level academic exchange platform for young scholars in the field of electrical engineering.

The awarded academic topic of Pang Jupeng is “Co-Optimization of Battery Cluster Parallel Equalization Architecture and Power Conversion System (PCS) Topology Control for Large-Scale Energy Storage.” This work jointly designs advanced converter topology control with an efficient battery cluster parallel equalization architecture, significantly improving system efficiency and safety. On the one hand, a high-efficiency, low-cost parallel equalization circuit is innovatively proposed. Based on the concept of partial power conversion, battery cluster paralleling is transformed into controlled current-source paralleling, markedly enhancing system efficiency and safety, and effectively addressing issues such as the barrel effect, circulating current losses, and safety risks in battery cluster parallel systems. On the other hand, a variable-level Active Neutral Point Clamped (ANPC) topology is proposed. Through ingenious switch reconfiguration and hybrid modulation strategies, the PCS can intelligently switch between three-level and four-level modes, flexibly adapting to the wide voltage range of battery clusters at different states of charge while ensuring maximum efficiency. Combined with the proposed DC bus capacitor voltage reconfiguration technique, the voltage stress and losses of power devices are effectively reduced, enabling the converter to maintain high-efficiency operation throughout the entire charge–discharge cycle, making it particularly suitable for future photovoltaic–storage systems at the 2000 V voltage level.

Related Links to Research Group Achievements

Achievement Release | Battery Cluster Parallel Equalization Technology

Achievement Release | A Variable-Level Converter and Control Method

Zhang Congjia is a direct-entry doctoral student (Class of 2022) in EEA, supervised by Researcher Ci Song. His research focuses on operation optimization and performance evaluation of dynamically reconfigurable battery energy storage systems. He has published nine papers as first author or student first author and has applied for seven invention patents. He has received the IEEE PESA Best Paper Award and the Tsinghua University Comprehensive Excellence Scholarship (First Class).

The awarded academic topic of Zhang Congjia is “Information–Material Interaction Mechanisms and Operation Optimization Evaluation of Dynamically Reconfigurable Battery Systems.” To address the “short-board effect” caused by fixed series–parallel grouping in traditional battery systems, the Ci Song research team of the Department of Electrical Engineering at Tsinghua University pioneered the concept of a “dynamically reconfigurable battery network” internationally, achieving battery energy management by controlling the time during which individual cells or modules are connected to the charge–discharge circuit. Zhang Congjia’s research on dynamically reconfigurable battery energy storage systems is carried out in three aspects: first, the construction of electrochemical transient calculation models under pulsed operating conditions, elucidating the information–material interaction mechanisms under dynamically reconfigurable conditions; second, the proposal of system operation optimization strategies based on network analysis methods and multi-objective optimization, realizing integrated electro-thermal management of dynamically reconfigurable battery systems; third, the proposal of a battery module state-of-charge consistency evaluation method based on the coefficient of variation of open-circuit voltage, with an error range that is one-seventh of that of traditional methods. The related research outcomes have been applied to large-scale dynamically reconfigurable battery energy storage stations such as Huadian Bayin and Three Gorges Ulanqab, achieving significant economic and social benefits.

In addition, Zhang Congjia actively participates in public service, serving as a reviewer for SCI journals and top international conferences including IEEE Internet of Things Journal, Journal of Energy Storage, and IEEE PESGM. He has supervised four undergraduate students in completing their graduation projects, two of whom have published academic papers at top international conferences. The undergraduate team project he supervised, “Digital Twin System for Dynamically Reconfigurable Battery Energy Storage,” won the Second Prize of the Tsinghua University “Challenge Cup.”

Related Links to Research Group Achievements

Project of the Ci Song Team, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Wins Gold Medal at the 29th National Invention Exhibition

“Dynamically Reconfigurable Battery Energy Storage System” Selected for the National Energy Administration’s First Set of Major Technical Equipment List