Transphorm Teams with Yskawa for GaN-based High-Power Converter

Transphorm Inc. announced at this week’s ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit that its novel 600V Gallium Nitride (GaN) module has enabled the world’s first GaN-based high power converter. Transphorm demonstrated the product built with its customer-partner Yaskawa Electric at the APEC 2013 industry conference. Additional technical details as well as datasheets for Transphorm’s GaN-based devices are expected to be forthcoming at next month’s IEEE Applied Electronics Conference.

Yaskawa’s product, a 4.5kW PV power conditioner, is powered by Transphorm’s 600V GaN half-bridge modules, which have enabled it to achieve several industry firsts: The first high power converter product in the world utilizing GaN technology; The first efficient PV power conditioner to operate at 50KHz; And simultaneous achievement of a 40% reduction in inverter size and 98% efficiency operation, a form and function benefit uniquely enabled by Transphorm’s EZ-GaN module technology.

“The partnership between Yaskawa, the world leader in inverter solutions, and Transphorm, the world leader in GaN-based power conversion, has produced the world’s first high power GaN power converter,” said Umesh Mishra, CEO of Transphorm. “This is a disruptive first step which signals the broad adoption of GaN-based power conversion solutions.”

“By teaming with Transphorm, Yaskawa is again the technology leader in introducing new technologies into the market place with tremendous benefits to customers and society” said Tatsuya Yamada , General Manager Environment & Energy Business Div. Drives Division of Yaskawa Electric.