Page 10 - North American Clean Energy July/August 2020 Issue

solar energy
How Silicon Carbide Enables Sustainable Solar
by John Palmour
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. r desig Enabling up to 70% higher power density compared to silicon.
Solar power generation has experienced rapid growth over the past several years. Net
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Enabling up to 70% higher power density compared to silicon.
solar power generation reached its highest levels in the U.S. - 66.6 gigawatt-hours in 2018, compared to just two gigawatt-hours in 2011. During this period of growth, a robust alternative has emerged that challenges the more traditional semiconductor material
of silicon: silicon carbide. Silicon carbide significantly increases the sustainability of renewable energy, resulting in lighter, smaller, and more efficient solar inverters.
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Solar Projects.
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As the demand for technology supports the increased use of sustainable resources, we need to be sustainable in the way we transmit and transform that power. Silicon carbide power components are well positioned to increase the sustainability of renewable power, as well as the technology that makes it possible.
Benefits of Silicon Carbide
The power semiconductor space is in the midst of a major transition, as it moves from silicon-based technologies to silicon carbide. This yields major benefits for a number of industries. From a scientific perspective, silicon and carbon create very strong covalent bonds, and this bond strength is key in allowing much higher breakdown to the electric field and higher thermal conductivity.
Silicon is the most common semiconductor used today. Silicon carbide, on the other hand, is considered a wide bandgap semiconductor. This distinction allows devices using silicon carbide to operate at much higher voltages, power densities, and temperatures, making silicon carbide ideal for the increased performance demands of next-generation applications. Silicon carbide also offers significantly lower switching losses than silicon, leading to much higher efficiency.
The proven performance of silicon carbide is powering
new sectors and reviving established ones. For example,
when looking at the impact on electric vehicles, using silicon carbide can increase the range of that vehicle by 5-10 percent,
or enable manufacturers to use 5-10 percent fewer batteries
for the same range. These numbers are significant to say the least. In industrial applications, silicon carbide power devices can increase efficiency, shrink system size, and reduce heat dissipation, helping businesses make the most out of every kilowatt hour of electricity and every square meter of floor space.
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Silicon Carbide
Silicon Silicon Carbide
Reducing total system cost in a 6.6kW bi-directional on-board charger design.
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www.nacleanenergy.com
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Reducing total system cost in a 6 6kW bi directional on board charge n