The power conversion process as a prosperity machine. II. Power semiconductor road maps

The author looks at a few of the applications that can benefit most from the adoption of power conversion and examine some of the developments that will accelerate the adoption of power conversion technology. As environmental and other concerns slow the growth of electrical energy generation in coming years, it becomes essential that we conserve and use this limited and precious resource more efficiently. Conserving electricity and making it a better fuel relies on the widespread adoption of the power conversion process, which takes electricity from a source, such as the electrical wall socket or a battery, and converts it to a form exactly suited to the electrical load. The author looks at three of the applications that drive the growth of power conversion (motors, lighting and power supplies), and examines the key developments in semiconductors (standardised architecture, packaging, MOSFETs and IGBTs) that will enable the applications to flourish.