Report on the Role of Semiconductors in the Renewable Energy Transition

Introduction

This report summarizes insights from a podcast series hosted by Electronic Design’s technology editor Andy Turudic, featuring Henrik Mannesson, General Manager of Grid Infrastructure and Power Delivery Industrial Systems at Texas Instruments (TI). The discussion focuses on the critical role of semiconductors in advancing renewable energy technologies, with an emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Key Learnings

• Semiconductors are essential for enabling efficient energy conversion in solar power, battery storage, and direct current (DC) consumption systems.
• Innovations in single-stage power converters, utilizing wide-bandgap semiconductor devices such as Gallium Nitride Field-Effect Transistors (GaN FETs), enhance solar energy efficiency and reduce system size.
• Texas Instruments supports these technological advancements through reference designs that promote grid flexibility and robust energy management.

Transition in Energy Infrastructure

1. Shift from Traditional Generation: Over the past decade, energy generation has transitioned from conventional electromechanical methods—such as synchronous generators in coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric plants—to renewable sources, with solar power becoming predominant.
2. Semiconductors at the Core: This shift places semiconductors at the center of energy conversion technologies, enabling improved performance and integration.

Emerging Trends in Renewable Energy Systems

• Rise of DC-Based Solar Generation: Increasing adoption of direct current solar panels necessitates efficient power conversion technologies.
• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS): Growing importance of energy storage to stabilize renewable energy supply.
• Increasing DC Consumption: Expansion of data centers and digital infrastructure that operate on DC power.

All these trends require efficient alternating current (AC) to DC and DC to AC conversion to interface with existing AC transmission grids, supporting SDG 7 and SDG 9.

Innovations in Power Conversion Technologies

1. Single-Stage Power Converters: Emerging as a superior alternative to traditional two-stage conversion (AC-DC followed by DC-AC), single-stage converters reduce energy losses by eliminating redundant conversion steps.
2. Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Devices: Devices such as GaN FETs enable low switching losses and higher switching frequencies, resulting in smaller, more efficient converters.
3. System Efficiency and Size Reduction: These technological improvements contribute to more compact and efficient solar inverter systems, supporting sustainable energy deployment.

Texas Instruments’ Contributions

• TI provides reference designs like the TIDA-010954 cycloconverter, integrating maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and AC output regulation within a single conversion stage.
• These designs streamline residential solar inverter development, enhancing grid flexibility and energy management capabilities.

Conclusion

The integration of advanced semiconductor technologies in renewable energy systems is pivotal for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to clean energy, innovation, and climate action. Innovations such as single-stage power converters and wide-bandgap devices are driving improvements in efficiency, system size, and grid integration, thereby supporting the global transition towards sustainable energy infrastructure.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article focuses on innovations in semiconductor technology that enhance renewable energy systems, particularly solar power and battery energy storage, directly contributing to clean and affordable energy solutions.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The development of advanced power converters and semiconductor devices like GaN FETs represents significant technological innovation and infrastructure improvement in energy systems.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • By enabling more efficient renewable energy integration and reducing reliance on traditional fossil-fuel-based generation, the discussed technologies support climate change mitigation efforts.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs

1. SDG 7 Targets
   • Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
   • Target 7.3: Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
2. SDG 9 Targets
   • Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies.
3. SDG 13 Targets
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. SDG 7 Indicators
   • Proportion of energy from renewable sources in the total energy consumption (implied by the focus on solar and battery storage technologies).
   • Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP (implied by improvements in power conversion efficiency).
2. SDG 9 Indicators
   • Proportion of industries using clean and environmentally sound technologies (implied by adoption of wide-bandgap devices like GaN FETs).
   • Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (implied by innovation in semiconductor designs and reference designs provided by TI).
3. SDG 13 Indicators
   • Greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP (implied by the transition from fossil-fuel-based generation to renewable energy sources).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: electronicdesign.com