Prof. dr. ir. Sjef Cobben, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)Â
Jorlan Peeters, Managing Director, HyTEPS
Sjef Cobben has been a part-time professor of Power Quality at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) since 2011. From 2003 to
2007, he conducted his doctoral research here, resulting in the dissertation ‘Power Quality, Implications at the Point of Connection’.
Sjef Cobben has also been a Power Quality Strategy & Consulting Expert at HyTEPS for almost five years. A good time to look to the past and future of at developments in electrical engineering, societal changes related to this, and the importance of a strong connection between education and practice.
“I’ve known Jorlan for over twenty years,” says Sjef. “We met in the NEC 8 standards committee (on voltage quality), in which we were both active at the time. HyTEPS was also establishing contacts with TU/e around then. Knowledge and experience were exchanged. At that time, Power Quality was still a relatively unknown concept, especially in the industrial world, where installations were being designed without considering Power Quality aspects. At some point, HyTEPS encountered a particularly complex problem, and I was asked to assist in the research and formulation of a solution. The collaboration was mutually beneficial, and over the years, it expanded further. HyTEPS grew rapidly and could offer students opportunities for internships and graduation projects. HyTEPS places a great deal of value in knowledge sharing and the connection between education and practice. One of the first things we did together was develop and deliver Power Quality courses. The complexity of projects has kept increased over the years, so students can still work on truly challenging, interesting projects.”
Increasing Complexity
“This increasing complexity can make our work especially challenging,” adds Jorlan. “Besides technical employees, other people, such as CEOs and CFOs, are increasingly involved in electrical engineering decisions . Because we not only sell products but also systematically measure, simulate, analyze, and report, we need to explain and substantiate each step in a way that is clear to all stakeholders.”
“Over the past fifteen years, we have grown significantly. Nowadays, we are invited to provide the most complex measurements and simulations – without ever participating in tenders. In these projects, we’re not only dealing with European standards but also with other norms. Moreover, the installations we work with have become larger and more complex over the years. In such cases, the help of an expert like Sjef is particularly welcome.”
New Growth
“If we look at recent developments in electrical engineering, network congestion is, of course, particularly interesting,” says Sjef. “Companies are demanding increasingly higher power levels, which the grid can no longer supply. By making more of existing installations, shifting peaks, and smartly distributing consumption between processes and companies, you can, however, get much more out of existing connections – which HyTEPS calls ‘inspansion’. Additionally, we’re seeing more DC systems. In some cases, a DC system can, for example, reduce losses and enable more efficient transmission. However, there are still insufficient known standards, norms, tests, and ‘best practices’ for DC. What applies to familiar systems does not necessarily apply to direct current. In the coming years, much further research will be needed to prevent problems such as corrosion risks.”
“We are currently seeing many electricians retiring. It is important that new blood comes in. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the field lively and interesting for young people. HyTEPS actively works on this, and I find that distinctive. New generations of electricians learn the same basic material as before – Ohm’s law will never change – but they need to apply their knowledge in new ways. For example, to enable the energy transition or develop solutions for network congestion.”
The Importance of Practical Experience
Jorlan: “The core of our work is not just measurements and simulations, but also analyzing data and then taking actions based on the outcome. We map out installations and problems in great detail and investigate what are the most suitable measurements to take. This requires quite a bit of theoretical knowledge as well as the ability to think creatively. Sometimes you find the solution to a problem where you initially never expected it, or you might see results that you did not expect at all. On one occasion, for example, Sjef and I were left scratching our heads when we compensated for a high harmonic and saw it only increase further. In retrospect, that phenomenon could be explained, but it remains a great example of the fact that you might come across things that are totally non-intuitive. That’s why it is so important that students gain a lot of practical experience. When the theory suddenly doesn’t seem to make sense, you have to think very hard about the possible causes of what you’re observing. Solving such problems gives coursework extra depth, benefiting the student, the university, and HyTEPS. With interesting assignments that can last months, we have sparked enthusiasm for the field in people who doubted whether electrical engineering was really their cup of tea. That’s nice, isn’t it?”
“From my side, I have always experienced our collaboration as very pleasant, professional, and constructive,” concludes Sjef. “We always arrive at a very nice results together, without forcing anything.” Jorlan: “That’s my experience, too. Additionally, we just click really well, from both sides. I hope we can continue to bring Power Quality to people’s attention for a long time to come. Because that remains a heavily underexposed topic. When you’re talking about ‘network congestion’, people can immediately form an idea of what that might be. But Power Quality is a much more abstract concept that touches on many different types of problems. Meanwhile, however, it continues to become increasingly important – and that will not change in the coming years!”
The ideal link between education and practice
Jens van de Meulenhof is following a ‘dual learning path’ in Electrical Engineering at Avans University of Applied Sciences. This course combines working and studying. For one and a half years now, Jens has been doing the practical part of his education at HyTEPS. First as an intern, now as a Power Quality Engineer. “I started in 2021 with an internship at HyTEPS and I came back to do my secondary vocational graduation internship. Now I’m doing the practical part of my HBO education at HyTEPS. Now I am doing the practical part of my University of Applied Sciences education at HyTEPS. Without practical experience, it would be harder to get a firm grasp on the course material. For example, during classes on electrical networks at Avans, we were discussing reactive power, calculations with different types of power, and compensation. At HyTEPS, I had already come across these concepts, so everything quickly fell into place. For other students, however, it sometimes seemed difficult to conceptualize these topics. Power Quality is also covered during the course, but to really understand everything, practical experience is essential.”
“What I really like about doing an internship and working at HyTEPS is the fact that they dare to throw you in at the deep end. You can always ask someone for advice, but it is assumed that you can make your own decisions. Not only where engineering is concerned. For example, they sent me to Dubai to work on a Harmonic Filter fairly soon. You also get to visit places you might not normally have access to such as huge superyachts. That variety in work is really cool, and you can come up with your own ideas. I find the corporate culture at HyTEPS incredibly pleasant, partly because of the great diversity. Everyone has a unique perspective on work and collaboration and adds something from their background. I also like the fact that it feels like a fairly small company, despite its rapid growth. You can pick up new tasks on your own initiative, have a chat with the Managing Director, or walk in on someone from the Management Team. If you need something, it gets taken care of quickly, without several people having to look at it first. HyTEPS is also a fairly young company – the average age is not much over 30 years. In addition to the people, the work is very diverse, too. There are many different directions within electrical engineering, from service and maintenance and Power Quality analysis to software development or commercial roles. What’s more, no two customers or installations are the same.”
