The evolution of power semiconductors that support the promotion of GX and the spread of EVs. This article examines the current state of material development that underpins this evolution.

Power semiconductors to curb power consumption from the spread of generative AI

ABE: If I may add, is there also a broader need for energy reduction?

Minamikawa: Yes. Reducing electricity consumption is an urgent issue worldwide. In particular, the shift to EVs in mobility is important.

The demand for power semiconductors that control motors, which are the power source of electric vehicles (EVs), is now rapidly increasing. This is particularly being fueled by China's efforts to dominate the global EV market.

By 2030, we expect the ratio of engine-driven to motor-driven vehicles in new car sales to be approximately 50:50.

While the growth rate of EVs is slowing slightly, this is being offset by HEVs and PHEVs, so I don't think the overall forecast for xEVs (electric vehicles) will change much.

For reference, the semiconductor installation cost for a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle is about $600 (¥90,000) per unit, while that for recent EVs such as Tesla is about $1,600 to $2,500, which is 3 to 4 times higher. This is due to the electrification of powertrains and the introduction of ADAS.

ABE: Could you tell us about the trends in power semiconductors other than mobility, including their applications and market needs?

Namikawa: The market expected to follow mobility is renewable energy. For example, power semiconductors required for power transmission during solar power generation and for power storage are used in converters. Additionally, as a market expected in the future, there will likely be a shift from internal combustion engines to motors in mobility other than cars, such as airplanes and ships.

In addition, smart homes and smart buildings are also promising. As the functions of homes and buildings are made smarter to reduce CO₂emissions and electricity consumption, power semiconductors will also play an important role.

For example, it can detect when a room is unoccupied using sensors and automatically lower the lighting or adjust the air conditioning temperature.

Abe: That's a topic close to home.

By the way, the new TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP building, which will be relocated in April 2024, is a building that has been recognized for reducing energy consumption by 51% compared to the previous building and has met the standards for

Abe: Could you tell us about the trends of data centers, which have been in the news lately due to their electricity consumption?

Namikawa: This is an important point. It is said that generative AI has an impact similar to that of the introduction of the Internet. Our lives and work have changed significantly due to the Internet, and a similar change is expected to occur.

Currently, GAFAM (Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple, Microsoft) are conducting extensive training at their data centers to make generative AI services available for general use.

For example, one AI data center for learning uses about half the electricity of a nuclear power plant. A construction boom for data centers is expected in the next two to three years. Currently, data centers account for about 5% of global electricity consumption, but this is expected to rise to around 8% by 2030.

A 3% increase is by no means insignificant. When there is no longer a margin in the balance between electricity demand and supply, power outages are more likely to occur, which will have an impact on various countries. This is why reducing electricity is an important technological challenge.

Abe: Is it because AI training requires a huge amount of electricity due to the high number of calculations?

Namikawa: Of course, but around 30 to 40% of the total power is used for cooling the heat generated.
Both air cooling and water cooling require motors, and power semiconductors control their rotation. Since data centers consume a lot of power, the power supply is large, and the conversion between AC and DC is constantly taking place.

The power conversion efficiency is currently said to be around 95 to 96%, with about 5% lost as heat. Improving this power conversion efficiency is one of the technological challenges for power semiconductors.

Next page Next-generation...... using SiC and GaN

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