30-month General Assembly for the RHODaS Consortium
On 5 November 2024, the RHODaS consortium held its fifth in-person General Assembly meeting since the project’s inception, marking the 30-month milestone.
The one-day event was hosted by the Electrical Energy Technology section, ECE, where key researchers and collaborators from Spain, Germany, France, Poland, Austria, and Denmark were brought together.
The meeting consisted of comprehensive presentations from each work package leader, providing detailed updates on the project’s progress and accomplishments. Valuable discussions emerged, facilitating knowledge exchange on recent advancements and addressing ongoing challenges in power converter technology. The consortium outlined action plans and priorities for the upcoming project phase, focusing on overcoming obstacles and project goals.
Project highlights and future focus areas
One of the central themes discussed during the meeting was the latest technological breakthroughs within the RHODaS project. Emphasizing sustainable solutions, the RHODaS project develops novel power converter topologies that utilize advanced semiconductor materials and digital technologies. These innovations are targeted to significantly enhance power density, reliability, efficiency, and sustainability while reducing costs. The project’s goal is to validate these groundbreaking solutions in 1200V electric drivetrains for zero-emissions heavy-duty vehicles, specifically Class N3 (goods vehicles over 12 tonnes) and Class O4 (trailers over 10 tonnes), which correspond to the USA’s Class 7-8 heavy-duty vehicles.
Addressing the environmental impact of road transport
Conventional road transport relying on fossil fuels remains one of the largest contributors to global emissions. Heavy-duty vehicles, responsible for nearly 40% of CO₂ emissions from European road transport, present a critical area for emissions reduction. With increasing support from EU truck manufacturers, including commitments to decarbonize the sector by 2050, the shift to alternative fuels and electrification of heavy-duty vehicles is gaining momentum. The RHODaS project is aligned with these trends, advancing the technology and infrastructure needed to support a growing share of heavy-duty electric vehicles in the transport sector.
Driving innovation through collaboration
At Aarhus University, the RHODaS project is led by Associate Professor Corneliu Barbu, supported by team members Postdoctodal Researcher Arman Fathollahi, Associate Professors Uffe Jakobsen and Jørgen Houe Pedersen, and Research Assistant Kalle Bundgaard Troldborg. Their collective expertise contributes to developing solutions for this complex technological challenge, aligning with the project’s broader mission to advance sustainable transport solutions.
The RHODaS project, funded under Horizon Europe, continues until October 31, 2025, and represents a significant step forward in Europe’s innovation landscape for environmentally conscious road transport solutions.
Contact
Associate Professor Corneliu Barbu
Research Group: Electrical Energy Technology (EET)
Aarhus University, Department of Electrical and Computer Technology
Mail: coba@ece.au.dk
Tel.: +4593521325
Postdoctoral Researcher Arman Fathollahi
Research Group: Electrical Energy Technology (EET)
Aarhus University, Department of Electrical and Computer Technology
Mail: arman.f@ece.au.dk
Tel.: +4552732034
Associate Professor Uffe Jakobsen
Research Group: Electrical Energy Technology (EET)
Aarhus University, Department of Electrical and Computer Technology
Mail: uja @ ece.au.dk
Tel.: +4522832770
Associate Professor Jørgen Houe Pedersen
Research Group: Electrical Energy Technology (EET)
Aarhus University, Department of Electrical and Computer Technology
Mail: jhp @ ece.au.dk
Tel.: +4593522302