Dr. Rainer Kaesmaier

Dr. Rainer Kaesmaier is a Managing Director for the Global Product Group Semiconductors of Hitachi Energy, leading the semiconductor business with its global manufacturing and R&D footprint for the power semiconductor product portfolio which compromises GTOs, IGBTs, IGCTs, Thyristors, Diodes for market segments such as energy transmission & distribution, transportation & rail, renewable, industrial, and emobility. Rainer is a semiconductor industry veteran having held various management and executive positions in the sector for more than 25 years, covering areas of global responsibility in business strategy and development, business transformation, technology and engineering, operations and production, R&D, as well as sales and marketing. After stations at Siemens, Infineon, Qimonda, and the European semiconductor manufacturer LFoundry, he resumed in 2018 the responsibility for ABB’s semiconductor business which is now Hitachi Energy. He is also a member of the board for Hitachi Energy Switzerland. Rainer was a member in various industries strategy committees in Europe and the US. Rainer holds a masters degree in physics from the Technical University Munich and a PhD in physics from the University Kassel in Germany. He is based in Lenzburg near Zürich, Switzerland.

Silicon Carbide – game changer in Power Electronics, from transforming e-mobility towards broad power market applications

The use of Silicon Carbide (SiC) power semiconductors will be a game changer for the commercialization of Electric Vehicles, based on almost all major market studies, because they will increase the driving range by more than 10% compared to silicon devices (assuming constant battery energy). The extensive power cycling testing have already proven the reliability and power performance of SiC in optimized packages, including their ability to survive the peak power requirements of Formula E racing. The advantages and experience of using SiC power semiconductors in automotive applications is now being used as well to drive technology performance revolution in other market segments such as traction applications, power transmission & distribution, grid infrastructure, energy management and other industrial applications including renewables. The presentation will scope how the technology basis of SiC power semiconductor devices is applied to leverage the widened use in those variety of markets and will guide through use cases in industry. In addition it will address also one major challenge, the limited supply chain availability of this fast growing demand driven market with short ramp-up times, given the need to meet the quality level comparable silicon devices while being produced using specialized processes and integration.