<article><p class="lead">Targets for cutting CO2 emissions, growth in renewable energy and electric mobility are propelling demand for innovative power electronics devices based on gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) rather than conventional silicon chips, according to French electronics consultancy Yole Developpement (Yole).</p><p>"As the way we use and generate electricity changes these advanced materials will be critical to the infrastructure and energy efficiency we will need," principal power electronics and battery analyst Milan Rosina said on the sidelines of this week's European Power Electronics Conference EPE'21.</p><p>Yole expects the SiC power device market to grow at a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 36pc in 2020-26 to $4.5bn, alongside CAGR growth of 68pc for GaN devices to $1.1bn. </p><p><a href="https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news/2246971-power-electronics-driving-new-demand-for-metals">Power electronics</a>, using semiconductor technology to achieve digital control of electrical energy, is already ubiquitous. Over 80pc of the electricity generated globally passes through some kind of power electronics. Conventionally, silicon chips were used but as the demands increased, scientists and engineers began to look to new materials, compound semiconductors. In a compound semiconductor, the wafer is made from two or more elements chemically combined in an ultra-high purity crystal lattice. This combination makes it possible to obtain unique properties. Silicon carbide (SiC) — silicon combined with carbon — and gallium nitride (GaN) — gallium and nitrogen — are what is known as wide-bandgap semiconductors. This means that they can handle far higher voltages than silicon, making them essential in advanced applications.</p><p>"By using SiC chips instead of silicon, the conversion losses in power electronics systems will be considerably reduced, which can mean a longer driving range or a smaller battery in an electric vehicle [EV]," Rosina said. "SiC and GaN are sometimes seen as competitors but although they have some overlap, there is really room for both." </p><p>SiC is best suited to high-voltage applications such as the traction inverter in an EV that converts direct current from the battery to the alternating current needed by the motor. And GaN enables faster switching, which gives it key applications in chargers and power supplies. </p><h2>Rising consumption and intermittent generation</h2><p class="lead">Yole estimates that the addition of one battery electric vehicle on the road is comparable to the electricity demand of a small family home. </p><p>The calculation is based on an EV energy efficiency of 14-18 kWh/100km and daily driving distance of 60-80km, which comes to around 8-11 kWh/d. This compares with average daily household consumption of 10-15kWh. And electric mobility is not just about cars, there also electric buses, trucks, industrial vehicles, bikes, scooters, even ferries. Electricity demand for electric mobility is going to rise substantially and utility companies are increasingly looking at deploying renewable energy sources together with EV charging infrastructure.</p><p>The electricity grid will also have to adapt to a growing share of intermittent generation from solar and wind and other renewable sources. All of this will give power electronics many interlinked applications across the entire infrastructure (<i>see chart</i>). From high-voltage DC lines connecting up the electricity grids of neighbouring countries for energy pooling to a solar panel system for a single house, they all require power electronics technology.</p><p>"Among all this change, the focal point for a lot of the innovation and research and development is electric mobility, particularly passenger vehicles," Rosina said. "I think you are going to see that where automotive batteries and power electronics lead, utilities and other applications will follow."</p><p class="bylines"><i>By Caroline Messecar</i></p><p><div class="picture"><div><span class="pic_title">Power electronics</span> <span class="units"></span></div><img src="https://argus-public-assets-us.s3.amazonaws.com/2021/09/10/peyole10092021104558.jpg"></div></p></article>
