DURHAM – A newly completed study from Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF) and the Biophysical Economics Institute includes findings for how semiconductor devices made with silicon carbide performs relative to silicon semiconductors, specifically within electric vehicles.

The efficiency gain of using silicon carbide in an electric vehicle’s semiconductor devices, according to the study, was found to deliver a 13-to-one energy savings versus the incremental energy invested for one of its comparisons.

Another comparison found a seven-to-one energy savings, the study found.

Efficiency matters when it comes to energy, said John Palmour, chief technology officer at Wolfspeed, in a statement.  Palmour noted in the statement that technology that provides greater energy efficiency can directly impact the reduction of carbon emissions and positively impact the environment.

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“As the world shifts to a more sustainable future, it will need efficient materials to power it,” said Palmour.

Wolfspeed believes that the future of semiconductors is in silicon carbide.

So much so that CEO Gregg Lowe told WRAL TechWire earlier month that the company, which was formerly Cree, decided to sell off its LED lighting business in order to focus on silicon carbide.

The company developed its silicon carbide technology about 30 years ago, Lowe said, and it began to prepare for what Lowe described as a “transformational shift” about two years ago, prior to the onset of the global coronavirus pandemic and also prior to the global shortage of semiconductor chips that is still disrupting the automotive industry.

“We believe the next generation in power semiconductor technology will be driven by Silicon Carbide,” said Palmour, in the company’s statement.

A previous statement issued by the company called its silicon carbide technology the “key to the electrification of the drivetrain to support the shift to electric vehicles, wireless infrastructure to unlock the potential of smart cities, and power storage to enable broader adoption of renewable energy.”

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More on the study

The Biophysical Economics Institute partnered with Hedgerow Analysis to evaluate its implementation, the organization noted in a brief about the study that appears on its website.

Here’s how the organization describes the project:

“Silicon Carbide (SiC) microchips present an important test case of energy efficiency. Combining two crystal structures into a single compound produces unique properties relative to conventional chips and SiC promises increased energy efficiency across a multitude of potential applications. However, SiC chips are more energy-intensive to produce than silicon, leaving open the question of which promotes greater energy energy efficiency over the long run.”

The organization noted that it estimated the “net energy return of silicon carbide (SiC) Metal Organic Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) as compared to silicon-based Insulated Gate Bi-Polar Transistors (IGBTs).”

The organization’s published findings are below:

“Our study estimated that, over a 200,000-mile estimated lifetime of personal EV use, the replacement of silicon insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) with silicon carbide metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) produces energy savings that are many times greater than the incremental energy required to produce the silicon carbide devices.

In fact, the ESOI for a 400V SiC vehicle application is approximately 7:1 for a typical personal EV sedan (400V silicon carbide MOSFET vs. 400V silicon IGBT) and 13:1 for an 800V implementation (800V silicon carbide MOSFET vs. 400V silicon IGBT). That’s an 85% increase vs. the 400V silicon carbide MOSFET, due to reduced chip surface area and corresponding energy invested. The ESOI gain is even greater for fleet vehicles, such as taxis and delivery vans, with higher duty cycles and 500,000 estimated lifetime miles.”

According to the Biophysical Economics Institute, the study was conducted “on behalf of Wolfspeed, Inc.”