A major trend in the market is increasing energy efficiency for electronic products of all shapes and sizes. Electronics also have new regulations to meet new efficiency standards. As a result, we see global demand for next-generation appliances to meet stricter efficiency and power consumption requirements. For example, HVAC systems used to have simple on/off control of PSC motors. New federal fan energy rating regulations require all furnaces to be equipped with electronically commutated motor (ECM) motors, reducing energy consumption by 40%.
The new equipment features features such as variable speed control or constant airflow control to meet ever-increasing efficiency standards. Component changes are required to enable these features in the design and implementation of new devices. Power semiconductor devices, sensors and microcontrollers are widely used in new appliances to minimize power loss and increase energy consumption efficiency.
The challenge is the increased complexity of the entire energy supply chain, especially when it comes to green grid initiatives. The new green initiative looks at the entire energy supply chain, from using silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs to enable wind turbines and solar inverters for efficient power generation, to storing energy in battery packs and delivering it to load.
Growing demand for high-power solutions such as high-power EV charging is straining long-standing grids; the industry is investigating future solutions to buffer the peak power demands of fast EV charging. As the industry shifts from fossil fuels to mobility, significant improvements to electric infrastructure are required to meet the demands of electric vehicles. Without a complete overhaul of the grid — unlikely due to the enormous cost — the industry needs to find ways to avoid overloading the grid during peak usage, which can lead to problems such as rolling blackouts to reduce consumption, as seen in California example.
Efficient energy creation
Green energy generation, such as wind turbine designs, must provide maximum availability to promote grid stability, which in this case works best with wind power converters. Therefore, grid stability depends on power semiconductor devices that provide dynamic capability, superior functionality and superior reliability.
The principle of energy conversion is roughly the same in all green systems. Radiated and temperature-dependent energy from one or more photovoltaic (PV) panels is converted from DC voltage to AC voltage to match local voltage and phase requirements. They will also utilize Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technology to ensure that all available power (depending on received radiation) is extracted from the PV panels with minimal power conversion losses.
This has historically been achieved with silicon MOSFET devices. With the advancement of SiC and Gallium Nitride (GaN) MOSFETs, efficient energy creation can now be further improved.
Efficient energy storage and transmission
The downside of renewable energy sources like wind and solar is that the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine. Even when the weather cooperates, there are still challenges in transferring energy to the grid, which can sometimes be far away. These challenges require efficient energy storage through battery packs and efficient power transmission systems to ensure grid stability and reduce energy losses during grid power transmission.
The latest silicon MOSFET technology combined with innovative digital control of power conversion enables efficient energy storage and transfer, further improved by the adoption of new wide bandgap (WBG) devices such as SiC and GaN MOSFETs.
Efficient energy consumption
Once the energy hits the grid and reaches homes and commercial buildings, there are more opportunities to improve efficiency. A major trend in the market is to improve the energy efficiency of electronic products of all shapes and sizes. There are also new regulations requiring electronic products to meet new efficiency standards. This requires a fundamental change in the content of these systems, from electromechanical drives to inverter-based motor drives.
Inverter-based motor drives increase efficiency by 40% at peak loads and further save energy by providing variable speed control. Using WBG equipment increases efficiency and reduces overall operating costs, while also helping to protect the environment.
Thanks to advances in SiC and GaN MOSFETs, system power conversion efficiency from grid to power computer can be improved by 1% to 3% compared to the latest silicon MOSFET-based solutions. While that doesn’t sound like much in absolute percentage terms, the reduced power consumption and cost savings resulting from the adoption of these semiconductor technologies can be significant for large energy users, such as large data center operators with large server farms.
The role of sensors and digital controls in energy efficiency
Efficient power generation, transmission and consumption requires intelligent control and connectivity through digital technologies. By adding an MCU and WiFi/BLE solutions, an efficient smart grid with advanced diagnostics and remote control can be achieved.
From a power consumption standpoint, the latest sensor technologies such as radar sensing and temperature sensing also contribute to energy efficiency. Sensors provide data and information to the system, enabling the controller to make decisions about the application. After collecting system operation and environmental information through various sensors, the MCU makes appropriate decisions based on various factors, and the power components then execute those decisions.
For example, sensors can determine if the room is too hot, and if so, adjust HVAC temperature settings. It can shut down the HVAC system when the sensor does not detect the presence of a person, such as in a commercial office building at night or on weekends. As soon as someone walks into the room, the HVAC system makes the necessary adjustments for optimal operation. Through the use of the latest sensor technology and digital control, the overall power consumption can be significantly reduced.
Preparing the grid for electric vehicles
In a real-world example, looking at how efficient energy consumption and growing demand for electricity combine, we can examine the rise of electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support them.
According to the latest forecast from the International Energy Agency, around 13 million electric vehicles are expected to be on the road by the end of the decade. To meet the demand, the electric vehicle charging market is looking into the implementation of energy storage systems for fast charging systems. In a typical configuration, there will be a high-power charger capable of charging an electric vehicle in 45 minutes. The problem is that this implementation requires 250 kilowatts of electricity per fast-charging station. The grid is not set up to support this type of peak power. Therefore, there is a need for innovative EV charging systems with energy storage and intelligently controlled power conversion and distribution.
Energy storage works by essentially providing a large battery pack that will become the equivalent of a gas station in the future. The charging station will be connected to multiple 250-kilowatt chargers, which will allow people to charge their vehicles very quickly. This often creates unsustainable peak demand on the grid, but the energy storage system will act as a buffer. For example, the grid will feed into the energy storage system at a constant rate of 250 kilowatts, while being able to provide outputs in the megawatt range during periods of sustained peak activity.
This is the future of energy storage, and you’ll see it implemented across the country to help extend the life of existing grid infrastructure. Semiconductors are critical to smart EV charging systems in EV “gas station” settings. The adoption of the latest silicon MOSFET technology and WBG devices enables EV batteries to be charged quickly and efficiently with minimal disturbance to the grid.
The process of generating, transmitting, storing and efficiently utilizing electricity involves many aspects. Finding the right partner who is technology-agnostic and can help design and implement the right solution for your application is critical. As more high-power applications enter the market, understanding how to compensate for the shortcomings of an aging grid can play an important role in enabling critical-scale deployments. Power semiconductors are leading the way and harnessing advances in silicon technology, including the latest WBG devices, digital controls and sensor technology, to ensure that everything in the future, from power generation to consumption, can be efficiently powered.