- The UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) has released a new Power Electronics Innovation Opportunities Report, outlining the innovations that should be considered to grow the UK’s power electronics sector.
- The power electronics sector designs and manufactures components that convert electrical energy into propulsion, such as traction inverters, or provide auxiliary power, such as DC-DC converters.
- As such, their place within the EV space is significant, with potential opportunities for the UK to take a bigger slice of the EV manufacturing pie.
APC identifies four key innovations within the power electronics sector
The report, which can be downloaded in full here, provides insights onto how these four innovations could be further commercialised in the UK, cementing the country’s position as a leader within global clean mobility whilst helping accelerate the EV transition. There is already significant EV-related production taking place in the UK, such as Nissan’s decision to base much of its third-generation Leaf production in Sunderland, and Bentley’s upcoming EV production in Crewe, but the opportunities for the UK to widen its EV industry scope are clear.
The first innovation, which has the most commercial viability of the four, is system health and safety, in particular surrounding solutions that can allow for predictive maintenance and self diagnosis of power electronics-related components. The UK is already in a strong position for this thanks to its existing software expertise, and this could help to further reduce the total cost of ownership of EVs.
Second comes in the way of Gallium nitride-based power inverters, existing as an alternative to current solutions, allowing for the possibility of cheaper and more compact power converters.
The APC has also recommended further exploration surrounding larger wafers and higher-voltage devices, helping to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Finally, advancements in thermal management have also been identified as another potential area to grow the UK’s EV industry. This includes advancements in combining multiple cooling technologies together to reduce vehicle weight and cost, and also a general improvement to performance, reliability, and lifespan of relevant components.
Dr Hadi Moztarzadeh, Head of Technology Trends, APC, commented:
“By analysing key industry challenges and associated R&D opportunities in power electronics technologies, this report helps the UK to progress in this sector. In the automotive industry, power electronics development is largely driven by battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake. With the push for higher efficiency, higher power density, and lower cost innovations in power electronics are required.
The UK government and the automotive industry have already made significant investments in unlocking the pathway for these opportunities. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) recently announced a new funding initiative, Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification (DRIVE35), which will secure the UK’s place at the forefront of zero-emission vehicle development.
By continuing to provide a funding programme for these innovative technologies, the UK can establish a stronger supply chain in the power electronics supply chain in the UK.”
