Introduction • Stephanie Watts Butler - APEC 2026 Plenary Chair 

Opening Welcome Message • Jin Wang - APEC 2026 General Chair 

Plenary Introduction • Dhaval Dalal - APEC 2026 Program Chair

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the data center landscape, driving unprecedented demands for power density and efficiency. This paradigm shift challenges traditional AC architectures and opens the door for High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) distribution from grid to chip. With Solid-State Transformers (SST), HVDC offers compelling benefits—reduced conversion losses, improved efficiency, and higher power density—making it an attractive solution for next-generation AI data centers. However, the transition is far from simple. Protection, safety, and regulatory standards for DC systems remain complex, and the global supply chain for HVDC components is still evolving.

This plenary speech will highlight current and future power technologies enabling Copernicus. Power electronics are essential for satellite energy manage ment, battery health, and reliable power distribution. As avionics advance, they require lower voltages and higher currents, while scientific instruments need spe cialized supplies. The rise of large satellite constellations demands innovative solutions to cut costs and speed up delivery without sacrificing reliability. GaN switches and digital control are transforming space power electronics, enabling more efficient, robust systems for next-gener ation satellites.

Today’s challenge is clear: How can we address social needs, achieve economic growth, and improve quality of life, all simultaneously? Power electronics is emerging as a key solution, creating “trade-ons” rather than trade offs. Sustainability policies for power electronics products are emerging from multiple fronts, now extending to power semiconductors as critical components. Yet precisely because these strategies are so vital, they must be pursued cautiously, avoiding hype and rushing into regulations.

This presentation will explore the historical evolution and emerging intersections between power magnetics and artificial intelligence, and introduce the MagNet Challenge as an international collaborative research platform that bridges materials and design, data and algorithms, academia and industry, and the past and future of power electronics.