DULLES, VA, September 28, 2010 – Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) has entered into a Cooperative Agreement with the GeneSiC Semiconductor-led team towards the development of the novel ultra high-voltage silicon carbide (SiC) Thyristor based devices. These devices are expected to be key enablers for integrating large-scale wind and solar power plants into the next-generation Smart Grid.
“This highly competitive award to GeneSiC will allow us to extend our technical leadership position in the multi-kV Silicon Carbide technology, as well as our commitment to grid-scale alternative energy solutions with solid state solutions,” commented Dr. Ranbir Singh, President for GeneSiC. “Multi-kV SiC Thyristors we’re developing are the key enabling technology towards the realization of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FAKTA) elements and High Voltage DC (HVDC) architectures envisaged towards an integrated, efficient, Smart Grid of the future. GeneSiC’s SiC-based Thyristors offer 10X higher voltage, 100X faster switching frequencies and higher temperature operation in FACTS and HVDC power processing solutions as compared to conventional Silicon-based Thyristors.”
In April 2010, GeneSiC responded to the Agile Delivery of Electrical Power Technology (ADEPT) solicitation from ARPA-E that sought to invest in materials for fundamental advances in high voltage switches that has the potential to leapfrog existing power converter performance while offering reductions in cost. The company’s proposal titled “Silicon Carbide Anode Switched Thyristor for medium voltage power conversion” was selected to provide a lightweight, solid-state, medium voltage energy conversion for high power applications such as solid-state electrical substations and wind turbine generators. Utplassering av disse avanserte krafthalvlederteknologiene kan gi så mye som en 25-30 prosent reduksjon i strømforbruket gjennom økt effektivitet i levering av elektrisk kraft. Innovations selected were to support and promote U.S. businesses through technological leadership, through a highly competitive process.
Silicon carbide is a next-generation semiconductor material with vastly superior properties to conventional silicon, such as the ability to handle ten times the voltage—and one-hundred times the current—at temperatures as high as 300ºC. These characteristics make it ideally suited to high-power applications such as hybrid and electric vehicles, renewable energy (wind and solar) installations, and electrical-grid control systems.
Det er nå godt etablert at ultrahøy spenning (>10kV) Silisiumkarbid (SiC) enhetsteknologi vil spille en revolusjonerende rolle i neste generasjons forsyningsnett. Thyristor-baserte SiC-enheter tilbyr den høyeste ytelsen på tilstanden >5 kV enheter, og er allment anvendbare for mellomspenningseffektkonverteringskretser som Fault-Current Limiters, AC-DC omformere, Static VAR Compensators and Series Compensators. SiC-baserte tyristorer tilbyr også den beste sjansen for tidlig adopsjon på grunn av deres likheter med konvensjonelle kraftnettelementer. Other promising applications and advantages for these devices include:
- Power-management and power-conditioning systems for Medium Voltage DC conversion sought under Future Naval Capability (FNC) of US Navy, Electro-magnetic launch systems, high energy weapon systems and medical imaging. The 10-100X higher operating frequency capability allows unprecedented improvements in size, weight, volume and ultimately, cost of such systems.
- A variety of energy storage, high-temperature and high-energy physics applications. Energy storage and power grid applications are receiving increasing attention as the world focuses on more efficient and cost-effective energy-management solutions.
GeneSiC er en raskt voksende innovatør innen SiC-kraftenheter og har et sterkt engasjement for utviklingen av silisiumkarbid (SiC) baserte enheter for: (Portene til Spania) HV-HF SiC enheter for Power Grid, Pulserende kraft og rettet energivåpen; og (b) Høytemperatur SiC-kraftenheter for flyaktuatorer og oljeleting.
“We’ve emerged as a leader in ultra-high voltage SiC technology by leveraging our core competency in device and process design with an extensive suite of fabrication, characterization, and test facilities,” concludes Dr. Singh. “GeneSiC’s position has now been effectively validated by the US DOE with this significant follow-on award.”
Om GeneSiC Semiconductor
Strategically located near Washington, DC i Dulles, Virginia, GeneSiC Semiconductor Inc.. er en ledende innovatør innen høytemperatur, høyeffekt og ultrahøyspent silisiumkarbid (SiC) enheter. Pågående utviklingsprosjekter inkluderer høytemperaturlikerettere, SuperJunction-transistorer (SJT) og et bredt utvalg av Thyristor-baserte enheter. GeneSiC har eller har hatt hoved-/underkontrakter fra store amerikanske myndigheter, inkludert Energidepartementet, marinen, Hæren, DARPA, og Department of Homeland Security. Selskapet opplever for tiden betydelig vekst, og ansettelse av kvalifisert personell innen design av kraftenheter og detektorer, fabrikasjon, og testing. For å finne ut mer, besøk gjerne www.genesicsemi.com.
