Sustainability

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can be an annoyance to radio listeners, but in industrial environments, EMI problems are increasing as today’s power systems scale up to improve efficiency. On this larger scale, the effects are more damaging than poor reception. Today’s power systems are designed for efficiency. A common tactic is the use of variable-frequency drives for motors, allowing speeds to be optimized while minimizing power consumption. Such systems increasingly depend on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) components rather than traditional silicon, due to their wide-bandgap characteristics, which permit better performance in high-voltage, high-temperature, and high-frequency applications. The result is lower power consumption and higher power density, which are important in challenging applications such as EVs.