How Semiconductors are Reshaping the Renewable Energy Ecosystem

Maintaining the stability of the distributed, grid-connected energy system needs fast, sophisticated control systems. The control systems consist of communication interfaces like 4G, Wi-fi, SCADA, and IoT nodes. They need to communicate in real time and respond quickly to demand surges, faults, and disturbances.

April 21, 2026. By News Bureau

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Vijay Bolloju

IVP Semi

Renewable energy ecosystem

Semiconductors

SCADA

Solar energy

Conventional energy sources

Distribution Networks

Resource utilisation

Renewable energy is a critical component of the energy economy of any country. It also plays a key role in the geological scenario. Every country has the ability to generate renewable energy. Many forms of renewable energy sources are available, such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, tidal energy, to name a few.

Each renewable energy resource has certain unique characteristics and potential. Solar energy is available only during daylight hours and during certain seasons. Wind Power is available throughout the day but is variable in capacity.

While solar energy can be harvested in urban areas, large-scale wind and geothermal generation need to be away from the urban areas due to audible noise and land space requirements. Hydroelectric plants can only be installed at places where there are water streams and are location-specific. Tidal energy generation is usually located in the ocean fronts.

The mix and match of conventional and renewable energy sources can constitute the energy economy of the country. They need a long-distance power transmission network. They usually incur about 20-30 percent energy loss in the distribution network. While the conventional energy generation sources (coal-thermal, gas, fuel oil, nuclear, etc.) provide a baseline, stable energy supply. These plants are usually located away from urban areas. The renewable energy sources can be distributed and form micro-grids. Micro-grids are close to the point of load and form reliable sources of power. They reduce the transmission and distribution losses.

Renewable energy generation usually relies on Power electronic systems for generation and control. Solar inverters generate DC voltages, and they require Power Electronics to convert this DC voltage to AC Voltage. Wind generators produce an AC voltage of variable voltage and variable frequency depending on the wind speed and strength. Sophisticated control electronics are needed to synchronise these energy sources to the grid. The speed and accuracy of these control systems are critical to maintain the stability of the grid.

Another aspect of renewable energy is the storage of energy. DC energy can be stored in batteries and can be used in lean energy generation periods or to fulfil the peak energy demand phases of the day. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly important to maintain the grid stability and availability.

Maintaining the stability of the distributed, grid-connected energy system needs fast, sophisticated control systems. The control systems consist of communication interfaces like 4G, Wi-fi, SCADA, and IoT nodes. They need to communicate in real time and respond quickly to demand surges, faults, and disturbances. The distribution network must be agile to isolate the faulty systems and re-route the supply lines effectively to maintain an uninterrupted power supply to the consumers. These systems need to be highly automated and need to make decisions that reduce the impact of disruptions.

Another aspect of the energy system is to optimise the resource utilisation by maximising the renewable energy potential when available and reducing the fossil fuel dependence. This would reduce the overall cost of generation while reducing the environmental impact.

Backbone of this mixed source, distributed, grid-connected energy systems is the efficient, robust Power Electronics and smart, connected control systems. Innovations in the Power Electronics component space are enabling scaling of the power generation capacities. Newer generation wide bandgap devices, such as Silicon Carbide (SiC) and gallium Nitride (GaN) devices, enable efficient, high-frequency switching. These device technologies enable new topologies and efficient power conversion. One such example is bidirectional power converters made using a Dual Active Bridge (DAB), which can simplify BESS implementation. Bidirectional solid-state switches can replace mechanical switch gear, providing fast reaction times and long operating life, thus enabling reliable service.

Solid-state transformers are another solution that can revolutionise the transmission and distribution (T&D) of the energy systems. Solid state transformers can provide unprecedented features like fault isolation, harmonic isolation, line regulation, power factor correction, and improved reliability.

Fast, dependable, and fault-tolerant microcontrollers are essential to enable the system control and monitoring. Comprehensive algorithms and software solutions enable complete system control, effective and smart.

Connectivity solutions and cloud services make the control and monitoring of the vastly distributed grid-connected generation sources highly effective. The solutions are essential to maintain grid stability and availability. Redundant and mirrored systems must be employed to deal with any contingencies.

Another lesser-known aspect of the electronics systems that enable such benefits is the integration of electronics systems. The co-packaging of system elements brings unique features and reliability to the systems. Power Electronics packaging is a critical aspect of enhancing the utilisation and reliability of wide-band gap devices. More attention should be paid to this aspect as we develop advanced, high-speed power electronics systems. Similarly, advanced digital packaging is critical to scale the computing power and resources of the microcontroller products.

Together with developments in computing power, power electronics, and connected solutions, this ensures that distributed, multi-source energy-generating systems work harmoniously in optimum performance mode. The future of energy systems looks bright with distributed, connected micro-grids powering the economies, providing energy security.

- Vijay Bolloju, Director – R&D, iVP Semi