Wolfspeed unveils silicon carbide module solution

The 2,300V baseplate-less silicon carbide power modules for 1,500V DC Bus applications were developed and launched utilising Wolfspeed’s 200mm silicon carbide wafers.

Wolfspeed also announced that it is partnering with EPC Power, a premier North American utility-scale inverter manufacturer. EPC Power will be employing the Wolfspeed modules in utility-grade solar and energy storage systems, which offer a scalable high-power conversion system and high-performance controls and system redundancy.

“The solar and energy storage market remains among the fastest-growing segments of the renewable energy industry. As the pioneers of silicon carbide, we are driven to create solutions that will open the door to a new era of modern energy,” said Jay Cameron, Wolfspeed Senior Vice President and General Manager, Power. “Energy efficiency, reliability, and scalability are top of mind for our customers, such as EPC Power, who recognise the substantial advantages Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide brings to the table.”

“Silicon carbide devices open the door to a step-change in inverter performance and reliability. With our commitment to extreme reliability, performance, and security in our new ‘M’ inverter while also forging a deep commercial relationship with key suppliers, Wolfspeed was the obvious choice,” said Devin Dilley, President and Chief Product Officer, EPC Power.

With mounting global investment in renewable energy, the solar energy market is estimated to reach a $300 billion market capitalisation by 2032. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 2024-25 will see the highest energy demand growth rate since 2007, reinforcing the need for efficient and reliable clean power. Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide solution helps bridge this crucial gap, supporting the next era of modern energy technologies while reinforcing US clean energy manufacturing leadership.

Cameron continued, “This platform further validates our investments in 200mm wafer technology and production as the potential of silicon carbide continues to be recognised by industry leaders across all mission-critical applications.”

Switching performance

Wolfspeed's 2,300V modules will improve system efficiency, while reducing the number of passive components. They offer 15% greater voltage headroom compared to similar silicon carbide modules, improved dynamic performance with consistent temperature stability, and a substantial reduction in EMI filter size. Wolfspeed’s technology achieves a 77% reduction in switching losses over IGBTs and a 2-3x reduction in switching losses for silicon carbide devices intended for 1,500V applications.

Market scalability through design simplification

2,300V silicon carbide modules will allow system designers to leverage lower cost printed circuit boards to cut manufacturing costs and significantly reduce development time compared to legacy bus bar solutions. Furthermore, Wolfspeed’s 2,300V modules will enable the industry to adopt the two-level topology, resulting in simplified system design and reduced driver count compared to IGBT-based three-level configurations. The benefits of 2,300V modules support a building block approach to easily scale power tenfold, from kilowatts to megawatts.

Prolonged system lifetimes and durability

Wolfspeed’s 2,300V silicon carbide modules will allow customers to further enhance the lifetime and durability of their systems. This is achieved through an optimised Failure in Time rate for continuous 1,500V DC operation and improved cosmic ray susceptibility compared to a 2,000V design. When used in a two-level implementation, 2,300V modules reduce the amount of potential single points of failure across the system.