Power Semiconductor Devices for Smart Grid and Renewable Energy Systems

Modern civilization is related to the increased use of electric energy for industry production, human mobility, and comfortable living. Highly efficient and reliable power electronic systems, which convert and process electric energy from one form to the other, are critical for smart grid and renewable energy systems. The power semiconductor device, as the cornerstone technology in a power electronics system, plays a pivotal role in determining the system efficiency, size, and cost. Starting from the invention and commercialization of silicon bipolar junction transistor 60 years ago, a whole array of silicon power semiconductor devices have been developed and commercialized. These devices enable power electronics systems to reach ultrahigh efficiency and high-power capacity needed for various smart grid and renewable energy system applications such as photovoltaic (PV), wind, energy storage, electric vehicle (EV), flexible ac transmission system (FACTS), and high voltage dc (HVDC) transmission. In the last two decades, newer generations of power semiconductor devices based on wide bandgap (WBG) materials, such as SiC and GaN, were developed and commercialized further pushing the boundary of power semiconductor devices to higher voltages, higher frequencies, and higher temperatures. This paper reviews some of the major power semiconductor devices technologies and their potential impacts and roadmaps.