Abstract
An analysis focused on application segments over-1.7kV
MARKET TRENDS
The power electronics market is booming at all voltage ranges!
More importantly, power devices for application markets >1.7kV like wind power
converters, electricity transportation and distribution (T&D), rail traction
and ship & vessel propulsion correspond to high added-value businesses.
It is sure that their total 2010 expected market size of $405 million
(including power devices and power modules) is small compared to lower voltage
markets, but they remain very dynamic and offer the potential of high margins.
These market developments are primarily driven by energy saving considerations
and green technology developments. They are actively supported - e.g.
electricity T&D - by several governments and leading companies are working
to improve their technology.
As such, silicon IGBTs, thyristors (GTOs and IGCTs), diodes and future SiC
devices will get access to more and more technological improvements like
transition to 8" wafer platforms and use of silicon carbide (SiC) materials
among others.
However, the long time period of order contracts, the low volume production
they imply and the issues to increase voltage to use SiC-based components
induce quite light competition between the wellestablished players of those
markets.
MARKET METRICS
Total market for high power devices and modules (including IGBTs, thyristors
and diodes) was $390 million in 2009 and is expected to ramp up to more than
$570 million by 2015.
Rail traction will contribute more than 65% of this value because of the high
level of production it represents and the number of inverter units per
locomotive.
Electricity T&D will benefit from the strongest CAGR between 2010 and 2015:
11.1%. Indeed, we expect plenty of work to be realized for HDVC
transportation, and ABB to provide an important contribution to HVDC light
architecture by making IGBTs.
Wind turbine converters have not suffered so much from the 2009 crisis, and
their growth is expected be the second strongest, with 2010 - 2015 CAGR more
than 9%.
Finally, ship and vessel markets have been impacted unevenly in 2009. Military
vessels have kept on growing - relatively to the long time period of ship
manufacturing - whereas passenger yachts acquired for private use have
drastically decreased. As a consequence, we estimate the global IGBT module
market for ships and vessels to resume in 2013 and reach $26 million by 2015.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
Power electronics represent a daily challenge in several systems today
(photovoltaic inverters, hybrid electric and electric vehicles, cameras, white
goods,...) from a market point of view, but also from a technology development
aspect.
Plenty of companies are pushing R&D efforts hard in order to provide the most
cost-effective, efficient and reliable materials, devices and systems. And
some more "hidden" applications, like the over- 1.7kV segment described in
this report benefit from those efforts.
The 4 following segments have been investigated in this report:
- Wind turbine converters,
- Electricity T&D,
- Rail traction,
- Ships and vessels.
With deep understanding of these application markets, Yole Developpement
provides a detailed analysis for each of them on:
- The technical developments provided by the leading companies
- The architectures of inverter units
- Market data of macro market: wind turbine installed base, shipments of
vessels and trains, and number of existing power installations for electricity
T&D
- Market metrics of related power devices and modules: IGBTs, thyristors and
diodes
- Market estimation of silicon wafers and SiC substrates penetration
- Deep understanding of the value chains
- Market shares of leading companies
WHO SHOULD BUY THE REPORT
- Power device manufacturers
- Power module manufacturers
- Material and substrates makers
- Electricity suppliers and distributors
- System integrators
- Companies willing to enlarge business on low volume markets
- Financial & strategic investors
- R&D centers
REPORT METHODOLOGY
Our report is a compilation of the day to day contacts of the 20 full time
analysts of YOLE, interviewing more than 2,500 companies per year, from system
integrators to device manufacturers.
Market & technical information has been gathered directly at:
- System manufacturers: automotive equipment manufacturers, IT equipment and
medical device manufacturers...
- Device manufacturers: key MEMS inertial sensor manufacturers worldwide
- Equipment & materials suppliers for the MEMS industry
Our analysis is also the result of the daily work of the analysits at Yole who
update the forecasts as soon as the information is obtained.
Data from thousands of interviews every year (50 to 70 industrial interviews
every week) provide the primary data we are using for analysis and forecasts.
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Definition
- IGBT module definition
- Main manufacturing steps of IGBT-based power inverter modules
- Comparison between GTO/IGCT/IGBT
- Which device for which application?
- Power vs. frequency
Market topology
Methodology of investigation
General introduction
Over-1.7kV application business and technology analysis:
- Wind turbine converters
- Electricity Transmission & Distribution
- Main T&D company profiles
- Rail Traction
- Ships & Vessels
High voltage power electronics wafer market
- SiC adoption
- Thin wafer: the next step for lower voltage applications
Synthesis
Appendix
- Overall IGBT market
- European regulations in Power & EMC/EMI
