Presentation at Power Electronics International 2026 are grouped into 4 key themes which collectively provide complete coverage of the global power electronics industry.
If you are interested in speaking at Power Electronics International 2026, please contact [email protected] or call +44 (0)24 7671 8970.
OEM and Tier 1 leaders expose reliability, efficiency and ultra fast charging hurdles and outline the SiC, GaN, packaging and cooling advances they need from power semiconductor suppliers.
With the recent drop in device prices, Silicon Carbide (SiC) is becoming an affordable technology for a larger number of E-Mobility applications besides mainstream EV’s. A wider number of markets can now benefit from the high efficiency and high power density offered by SiC for traction and auxiliary inverters, including E-Trucks or E-busses, specialty and industrial vehicles. Electrification is also entering other transportation markets with fuel-cell driven hybrid or full electric drive trains, like VTOL aircraft, specific-purpose drones and marine applications, Nevertheless engineers from these various industries must undertake the long journey along the conception, validation and qualification stages of a SiC inverter, facing motor control, gate driver, EMC, mechanical and thermal design challenges. CISSOID’s SiC inverter platform alleviates these challenges by bringing a complete toolbox for efficient and compact e-drive system development. This range from SiC intelligent power modules (IPM) and inverter control modules (ICM), powered by state-of-the-art motor control software, to complete, configurable and customisable SiC inverters.
Gallium Nitride (GaN) is transforming power electronics through superior efficiency and power density. While established in low- and mid-power systems, its transition to higher power classes has been limited by challenges in reliability, paralleling, and gate robustness. This presentation highlights how recent advances in device design, gate control, and packaging are enabling GaN’s expansion into automotive and industrial applications. Enhanced robustness improved thermal performance, and simplified system integration now allow consistent behaviour at higher voltages and currents. These innovations address key reliability concerns, making GaN a practical option for high-power converters, and motor drives. Attendees will gain insights into design considerations and implementation strategies supporting GaN’s evolution beyond traditional limits. Together, these developments demonstrate that GaN technology now offers the scalability, durability, and ease of use required for next-generation high-power applications.
As BEV inverter designs reach new levels of power density and reliability, this talk explores how advanced sintering enables efficient and durable bonding of molded power modules to water coolers. It presents scalable, automated production solutions that deliver high yield and surpass soldering in thermal performance and long-term stability.
As the world moves towards global electrification, semiconductor innovation is indispensable. With an innovation cycle of 2-3 years, new WBG power semiconductor performance is increasingly limited by the physics of the package and the systems – here innovative new system solutions need to be considered to exploit the full potential of the new semiconductor technologies. This presentation will show a detailed analysis how improvements on chip level affects typical power electronic systems and what benefits could be achieved if a holistic system optimization is considered.
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As 48V battery electric vehicles (BEV) are introduced to the market, many global carmakers are considering the transition from 12V to 48V within their automotive systems. Previously, 48V was only used to improve efficiency in mild hybrid vehicles, so there are challenges to implementing a 48V low-voltage architecture in BEV, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) generating 48V from a high-voltage battery. This presentation will outline 48V architectures and potential design solutions for 48V in future electric vehicles.
LEVs are gaining significant adoption and popularity across the world in a variety of use cases. While traction inverters for passenger cars are widely researched, very little research has focus on traction inverters for LEVs. The talk will focus on key design challenges and how a modular design can address them and scale for the variety of use cases in this space.
The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the adoption of zonal architectures and 48V electrical systems. This shift is critical as modern vehicles, particularly EVs and hybrids, demand unprecedented electrical power for ADAS, infotainment and thermal management. Traditional distributed E/E architectures, with their complex wiring and numerous ECUs, are being replaced by zonal designs. These partition the vehicle into distinct regions, each managed by central controllers to significantly reduce design complexity while cutting costs and enhancing scalability. Concurrently, the move from 12V to 48V systems addresses escalating power needs, enabling features like hybrid powertrains and efficient thermal management. The convergence of zonal designs and 48V systems creates a synergistic effect by optimizing power distribution. This leads to lighter, more efficient vehicles with improved range and establishes future-proof platforms for OTA updates. While implementation presents early challenges related to development costs and supply chain realignment, companies that embrace these changes will gain a significant competitive edge. This evolution represents more than a passing trend, it is reshaping industry standards and redefining EV design to yield smarter, more modular and more efficient next-generation vehicles. In this session, Allegro will share its perspective on the convergence of zonal architectures and 48V electrical systems and what this industry inflection points means for the future of automotive power semiconductor design.
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Compared to today, there were almost no power semiconductors in the primary power grid 25 years ago. However, much has gone since then, the power semiconductors have become more reliable and efficient and are now indispensable in the power grid. Whether it is power semiconductors that are used for the integration of renewable energy sources (e.g. solar and wind) or for the transport of energy, such as in HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) or FACTS (Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems), power semiconductors today make a significant contribution to the stability and performance of the power grid. With the availability of SiC power semiconductors that enable even higher performance, this journey with the best of the two worlds Si and SiC will remain very exciting in the future.
Designing power delivery solutions for the latest generative AI processors is becoming more and more challenging. These power delivery networks must be optimized for low PCB thermal dissipation, impose little or no processor clock or thermal throttling, comply with tight signal integrity specifications, and support the brutal transient demands for current that arises with changing AI algorithmic workloads. As GPU multi-die chiplet packages grow ever larger, packing in hundreds of billions of transistors, utilizing the latest semiconductor process technologies at lower core supply rails from generation to generation, these challenges (including thermal management) become significantly more extreme. This presentation will describe the complex mechanical stackup of these state-of-the art processors, and how vertical power delivery combined with factorized power architecture can navigate through these multidisciplinary constraints.
The accelerating adoption of digital power converters plays a pivotal role in the global decarbonization effort by enabling higher energy efficiency in a wide range of applications. While advancements power semiconductors have significantly improved converter performance, control strategies remain a critical aspect in maximizing overall system efficiency, robustness and reliability. Traditional control methods, such as fixed-parameter PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controllers or model-based approaches, have evolved in complexity, yet a transformative leap is anticipated through the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models. This presentation explores an innovative AI-enhanced control strategy specifically tailored for soft-switching high-power converters, which are inherently nonlinear systems. Leveraging AI’s capability to handle nonlinearities and adapt dynamically, the proposed approach optimizes converter control by incorporating additional real-time parameters such as temperature variations, component aging effects, and partial malfunctions or fault. This adaptability ensures high efficiency and robust performance under diverse operating conditions, surpassing the limitations of conventional fixed-parameter controls. The implementation of this approach exploits recent advancements in high-performance microcontrollers and control processors with embedded AI accelerators, enabling real-time processing of large datasets generated from converter operation. By harnessing these technologies, the AI-based control strategy not only enhances energy efficiency but also extends the operational lifespan and reliability of power converters. This work presents the conceptual framework, key algorithm developments, and preliminary validation results demonstrating the significant benefits of AI integration in soft-switching power converters. The findings highlight the potential of AI-driven control to become a cornerstone technology in next-generation power electronics, supporting the transition to sustainable and resilient energy systems worldwide.
The surging power demands of modern AI processors are outstripping conventional power delivery capabilities, resulting in critical performance and efficiency losses. Integrated Voltage Regulators (IVRs), capable of co-packaging directly with microprocessors, offer a transformative solution to this power bottleneck. However, successful IVR deployment extends beyond circuit design; it demands tight synchronization across electrical, mechanical, and thermal engineering, alongside robust manufacturing and supply chain strategies. This presentation details a multi-disciplinary collaborative framework for advancing IVR technology. Attendees will gain insights into overcoming integration challenges to power the future of high-performance cloud and AI infrastructure.
Today's server power supply architectures are based on AC/DC conversion within the IT racks and utilisation of 48V DC power distribution. With increasing power demands of AI servers these existing power supply architectures reach their limits. To overcome these limits the AC/DC conversion is moved to dedicated cabinets and DC distribution voltages are increased to 800V. Inside the IT racks DC/DC converters step down the 800V DC to the necessary operating voltages of the computing platforms. Of course, the highest possible levels of power conversion efficiency are required. ROHM’s modern wide band gap power semiconductor solutions can help realise the necessary power conversion units for these new architectures.
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AI explosive growth and its consequent hardware evolution have brought a dramatic increase in power levels of the IT rack in datacenters, up to several hundred kW already today. This factor is obliging to evolve the conventional architecture of power distribution inside the rack, based on the OCP standard 48 V architecture. Higher voltage for the distribution inside the rack is required and 800V (2 or 3 wires) is going to be selected, to be able to reduce the distribution losses and the required copper. As a fundamental element of the new architecture, a high power dense isolated 16:1 DC/DC converts 800V down to 48V now, to quickly reuse most of the available ecosystem. As a technology enabler, mid-voltage GaN plays a relevant role on the primary side, enabling the increase of switching frequency while granting efficiency performance. The LLC Direct Current Transformer (DCX) topology, operating open-loop at constant fs can provide tightly unregulated 48V output with an efficiency of 98%. In this paper a detailed analysis of that converter will be described together with the key components enabling performance in control, drive and active switches. Another area where GaN will play an enabling role for the architecture is the newly defined End Equipment of Sidecar Rack, where the 3-Phase AC to high voltage DC conversion is implemented. Mid voltage Bidirectional GaN will realize topology simplification in front-end rectification. Evolution of the architecture will continue across the next generations of xPUs in line with higher power requirements.
For more than sixteen years the SiC–GaN argument has dominated wide-bandgap talks. Champions of each camp will confront one another with hard data on cost curves, voltage ceilings, packaging headaches and supply resilience.
Increasing demands for efficiency, power density, and reliability have pushed the transition from Si IGBTs to SiC MOSFETs and GaN HEMTs in a wide range of industries including EVs, data centres, renewable energy, and aerospace. As SiC and GaN move from niche applications to the mainstream, investment is already flowing into materials that could succeed these wide bandgap semiconductors. Based on IDTechEx’s extensive research in the power electronics space, this talk unpacks the so-called fourth-generation, or ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors - gallium oxide, aluminium oxide, and diamond - and considers the unique challenges and opportunities facing these materials, comparing these to the barriers originally faced by SiC and GaN.
The shift towards electrification in the automotive industry necessitates the adoption of wide-bandgap semiconductors, particularly silicon carbide and gallium nitride. These materials are essential for meeting the stringent efficiency targets of modern electric and hybrid vehicles, especially within the rapidly growing 800V DC bus domain. Recent developments indicate that maximum DC bus voltages are increasingly approaching 1000V—and may even exceed this threshold. Consequently, the requirements for power semiconductor breakdown voltage must be re-evaluated to ensure reliability and performance in extreme operational conditions. To remain competitive, especially against new entrants in the automotive sector, the traditional technology development strategies must undergo a paradigm shift. This involves not just advancements in semiconductor technology but also adapting to the complex dynamics of a fast-evolving OEM ecosystem.
Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) enable high power conversion efficiency but introduce fast switching behaviour and elevated parasitic sensitivity, creating significant challenges for accurate and reliable device testing. A cost effective test solution minimizes dependence on high cost instrumentation while improving measurement accuracy and repeatability. This approach enhances test fidelity, scalability, and overall cost of test efficiency, supporting the volume manufacturing requirements of next generation WBG power devices.
Motor drives have stagnated at 4-16 kHz switching frequencies for two decades. QPT has broken the 1 MHz barrier with GaN technology, delivering a 100x frequency leap that simultaneously delivers breakthroughs in efficiency, cost, and performance. By overcoming the fundamental thermal and EMI barriers that have confined the industry, we demonstrate how pure sine wave motor drives unlock system-level transformations: from eliminating screened cables and achieving servo performance from low-cost motors, to cutting emissions equivalent to half of global aviation. This talk reveals the complete IP portfolio that can enable commercial deployment across £60Bn+ industrial, robotics, automotive, and HVAC markets, and why this breakthrough redefines what's possible in motor control.
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We will describe how Renesas GaN offering supports the requirements of different power applications, across sectors such as AI Infrastructure, Solar Energy, OBC and DC/DC in Electric vehicles. The power conversion within each of these sectors is shifting towards more power dense, efficient, modular, and intelligent power architectures, with trends toward high-voltage buses, bidirectional energy flow, and fewer conversion stages. There are many inherent benefits to the technology in terms of manufacturability in standard silicon fabs, and thus its scalability, also, in its high power density due to high switching frequencies with efficiency enabled by key material properties, and massive system integration through embedded features such as bidirectionality (novel to GaN) and where applicable control, protection, sense, drive, and more. GaN at high voltage covers dramatic advantages and enabling factors in these new topologies and architectures, both with unidirectional and bidirectional switches. We will provide specific examples in infrastructure and renewable energy, with detailed results of power architecture and solutions built to demonstrate the value of GaN in these applications. We will show how Renesas GaN can solve main challenges, like controlling switching times, protecting the device from events like overvoltage and short circuit, in critical customer systems. GaN at low voltage is coming to offer the density improvement vs silicon at comparable of eventually better cost structure, as soon as the supply chain will be comparably in place with standing silicon. Supply chain of a new technology is always key to enabling its large volume spread in the market, on top of all the system advantages. It will be described how is Renesas going to support the transition to a significant volume increase that market is requiring.
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