Chapter 6
Power Management: Enabling Technology
From harnessing and managing energy to enhancing mobile applications to powering vast farms of computers to drive the internet, power management and conversion plays a critical role in present society. Understanding the opportunities, challenges, and trends within this dynamic market is key to providing differentiated solutions in a vast array of applications. Not surprisingly, the integrated circuits (ICs) and solutions directly related to power currently show triple the growth of the overall semiconductor market [1]. Understanding market drivers as well as technology requirements and challenges provides the foundation for creating innovative new solutions. These solutions have broad implications in terms of significantly reducing energy required to support daily functions such as lighting and appliances, allowing communication and portable power in locations without a reliable power infrastructure, and enabling an even greater array of mobile applications.
6.1 Macroeconomic Drivers for Power Technologies
6.1.1 Energy Conservation
Just as many applications have transitioned from mechanical to electromechanical to more electronic solutions, climate change awareness as well as rising energy costs have been driving a major transition in how energy is supplied. Energy conservation has become a strategic imperative for all governments as effective conservation can reduce ...
