Utilities Tech Outlook Weekly Brief
Be first to read the latest tech news, Industry Leader's Insights, and CIO interviews of medium and large enterprises exclusively from Utilities Tech Outlook
Energy storage prospects are advancing rapidly as new developments in semiconductor technology generate excitement.
FREMONT, CA: The demand for new energy storage technology is soaring. With improving semiconductor technologies, there has been rapid progress in several battery features, including rapid charging. When compared to conventional components in semiconductors, some new materials offer enhanced speeds of charging, which are nearly a hundred times greater. Apart from that, energy consumption, as well as production expenses of these evolved semiconductors, are fairly low. Together, these are significant developments that can go on to solve the energy storage challenges for the energy sector in the near future.
Silicon-based power semiconductors, which are the convention now, might soon lose relevance in the rapidly modernizing ecosystems of the future. Currently, there are alternatives like gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) battery charging. Driven by the demands from the electric utility sector, the new options are expected to see rapidly rising demands in the global markets. The dependence on silicon for battery charging applications causes certain limitations that include less power density and lower energy efficiencies. Comparatively, Gallium nitride delivers substantially better performance in several circumstances.
The advantages of utilizing GaN instead of silicon are becoming evident with the swift adoption of the GaN alternatives. An article published in the EE Times states that the GaN solutions developed by a company called Navitas’ are making energy storage components lighter and faster. The devices that require fast-charging are going to deploy the solutions from this particular company. GaN has demonstrated to be better in the chip area as well as switching frequency. With the possibility of achieving an efficiency of up to 95 percent, GaN is bound to create a lot of buzz.
Integration capabilities are the key to modern energy storage using semiconductors. Thus, energy companies are busy looking to invest in technology providers who have mastered integrated circuit designs and have the upper hand in delivering the next generation of energy storage solutions. To establish optimized capabilities in electric utilities, GaN-based storage solutions offer the best opportunities.
See Also: Top Semiconductor Technology Solution Companies
