The recently updated "IGBT Market & Technology Trends" report by French market researcher Yole Développement forecasts that the IGBT market (insulated gate bipolar transistor) will grow to 8.4 billion dollars by 2026. This corresponds to 7.5%. The IGBT module segment, with its use in hybrid/electric vehicles, will account for 81% of the market.
Technologically, IGBTs will advance into new voltage ranges: Inverters for electric vehicles from 400 to 800 V and photovoltaic inverters to 1500 V. The analysts at Yole expect numerous innovations: a new generation of IGBT chips with higher efficiency for lower system costs, high reliability and lower inductance. Parallel to this is the development of SiC (silicon carbide) technology. At wafer level, there is a trend towards 300 mm wafers and a switch to MCZ (magnetic-field induced Czochralski) silicon.
The ranking of IGBT suppliers remains virtually unchanged: The top 3 suppliers are Infineon Technologies, Mitsubishi Electric and Onsemi. "Due to the expected strong growth of IGBTs, the supply chain is adapting its strategy and investing heavily," explains Dr. Ana Villamor, Technology and Market Analyst at Yole Développement. "In addition to electromobility, discrete IGBTs and IGBT power modules can be found in applications such as industrial motor drives, wind energy and photovoltaic systems, railroads, EF charging infrastructure and household appliances.
The rapidly increasing demand is driving mergers and acquisitions. The supply chain is currently being restructured. Yole expects significant growth for IGBT manufacturers (foundries and IDMs) in China.
In 2020, the largest segments of the IGBT market were industrial applications and household appliances, followed by electromobility. This accounted for a market of 509 million dollars and will continue to grow by an average of 23% between 2020 and 2026. "The provision of charging stations is a prerequisite for the expansion of demand," explains Abdoulaye Ly, technology and market analyst for electronic drive systems at Yole. "Although the charging infrastructure for IGBTs is still a small market, it is expected to grow strongly over the next five years."
The Yole Développement Group in Lyon, founded in 1998, is working with its partner System Plus Consulting to provide a comprehensive outlook on power electronics. System Plus Consulting has produced the latest report "Si IGBT Comparison 2021", a technology and cost comparison of IGBTs from Infineon, Onsemi, STMicroelectronics, Mitsubishi, Rohm, Toshiba, Fuji Electric, Littelfuse, ABB, Microsemi and StarPower.
