SiC technology is proving its value
After several years of delays and questions, SiC technology is proving its added-value, compared to existing silicon technologies, according to Yole Développement's latest report.
"˜GaN and SiC Devices for Power Electronics Applications (July 2015 edition)' reveals penetration of SiC, from low to high voltage (600 to 3300V), in Power Factor Correction (PFC), photovoltaics, diodes with electric and hybrid electric vehicles (EV/HEV), wind, Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and motor drives.
"Today SiC diodes represent more than 80 percent of the global market. And in 2020, diodes will remain the main contributor across various applications, including electric and hybrid electric vehicles (EV/HEV), PV, PFC, wind, UPS and motor drives," said Hong Lin, technology and market analyst at Yole.
"Challenges must be overcome prior to the adoption of pure SiC solutions for EV power train inverters, which is nevertheless expected by 2020. Including the growth in both diodes and transistors, at Yole, we expect the total SiC market to more than treble by 2020, reaching $436 million," confirms Lin.
In 2014, the SiC chip business was worth more than $133 million, with PFC and PV the leading applications.
In parallel several SiC devices makers are now offering or are going to offer automotive-qualified devices. This step underlines their willingness to enter the automotive industry and answer to the specific needs of automotive players.
In the past, some car makers complained about the lack of large volume SiC devices suppliers: "This situation may also evolve quickly, especially if more and more SiC players achieve their automotive certification", asserts Gueguen. He adds: "At Yole, we expect such large volume strategies could lead the SiC technology price erosion."
