Wide-Bandgap Electronics Analysis

Electrical energy constitutes 40% of total primary energy consumption in the United States, and this is only expected to increase with broad adoption of electric vehicles and the proliferation of renewables. Building on its existing wide-bandgap (WBG) R&D and analysis activities, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are investigating new power electronic technologies based on WBG semiconductors, which are essential for advanced electrical energy generation, transmission, storage, and use. This work supports efforts by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) to identify solutions to address the increase in electrical energy consumption through the development of more efficient power electronic devices.