Cette publication existe aussi en Français
As the European USB-C single charger regulations come into force, power is a key driver of innovation across the world in 2025 and many markets, from AI to the Internet of Things (IoT).
Two years on from the passing of the legislation, Europe is the first region to require a single charger for mobile phones to minimise electrical waste, the technology of the charger is getting ever smaller and increasing in power density. The regulations for laptops will come into force at the end of 2025, which will require higher power chargers at 240 and 480W, tapping into the efficiency of new power architectures and gallium nitride transistors.
Luckily these are exactly the power levels that European power companies are aiming to provide, both for those laptops but also for the next generation of charging. This will be in the plug sockets, and will see the gradual reduction in shipments of USB-C chargers over time.
2025 will see the emergence of smaller charger designs that will fit into power sockets, tackling the efficiency challenges of minimal no load leakage and thermal dissipation.
At the macro-scale, power consumption is also a major consideration. Millions of high power consumption GPUs as AI accelerators in data centres is raising all kinds of concerns about the power consumption. As the demand for AI grows, so do the predictions of the power consumption required.
However this is being addressed in a number of ways. Combining silicon carbide and gallium nitride devices in rack power supplies is significantly boosting efficiency. Each half percentage point increase in efficiency saves megawatts of power and millions of dollar in operating expenses. A new generation of generative AI algorithms and chip designs, and the local vertical power converters, is reducing the current consumption.
The backside power delivery networks in the coming 2nm and 18A generation of chips will provide higher density processing with the same power consumption.
Then there is the move of AI to the edge, whether that is in the cellular network at the radio access network (RAN), or down in the factory and retail store. Neuromorphic AI can also dramatically reduce the power consumption going forwards.
CEO interview: 100x power efficiency boost for edge AI processor at Efficient
Custom chip platform optimised for battery power, AI and Edge
All of this is predicated on centralised grid power, which faces its own challenges. Grids all over the world are teetering on the edge of collapse and needing billions of dollars of upgrade. European companies are increasingly expert at using AI and quantum algorithms to manage that power delivery network
There is also the drive to providing power locally. Europe has a lead in the development of energy harvesting chips, capturing power from local solar cells or even RF or thermal energy, and integrating those power converters on a chip. Creating sustainable power systems for the Internet of Things will be a key theme for 2025.
Solar power generation is also advancing, with new perovskite materials providing higher efficiency tandem cells and new production technologies such as 3D printing. While Meyer Burger has struggled, former partner Oxford PV is set for volume production of tandem cells in 2025, and indoor cell maker Epishine looks to expand.
At the device level, both silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are advancing through 2025. ST’s integrated SiC line in Sicily, Italy, will be coming online, Infineon’s SiC fab in Kulim and Wolfspeed in New York will be ramping up and onsemi boosts its Czech operation.
GaN production, and the supply of gallium as a critical material, will also be a key theme for 2025. The production of power devices is a geopolitical issue, as despite the tariff and IP issues, 300mm wafers, 1200V operation and packaging all drive the industry forwards in 2025.
If you enjoyed this article, you will like the following ones: don't miss them by subscribing to :
