If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.

Previous issues of update: Q4_2008 | Q1_2009 Q2_2009

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PSMA UPDATE is published and distributed via e-mail quarterly by the Power Sources Manufacturers Association. Send editorial information and comments to:

Permission to reprint information and articles as published is granted: a courtesy line is appreciated.

Membership in PSMA is open to any organization or corporation involved in the power sources and supplies industry. For membership information, visit our website or contact us by fax, telephone or email.

If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.

 

APEC 2010 will feature a solid technical program with over 300 peer-review papers, an exceptional plenary session, professional education seminars, informative special presentation sessions plus the ever-popular “rap” sessions and micro-mouse competition. APEC 2010 will also feature a lively exhibit environment where companies will display the latest in power electronics hardware, software, services and publications.

If you are involved in any aspect of the power electronics business, you should plan now to attend APEC 2010. APEC focuses on the practical and applied aspects of the power electronics business. This is not just a designer's conference - APEC is the perfect venue to network with your peers, to make new contacts and to interact technically and socially with others in your industry – this conference offers something of interest for anyone involved in the power electronics industry:

• Equipment OEMs that use ac and dc power converters and power electronic components in their equipment
• Designers of ac power supplies, dc-dc converters, motor drives, uninterruptable power supplies, inverters and other power electronic circuits, components and systems
• Manufacturers and suppliers of components and assemblies used in power electronics
• Manufacturing, quality and test engineers involved with the assembly of power electronics equipment
• Marketing, sales and analysts involved in the power electronics industry
• Compliance engineers involved with the testing and qualification of power electronics equipment or equipment that uses power electronics
  

For complete information and to register to attend, please visit www.apec-conf.org.

Provided by Greg Evans, APEC 2010 Publicity Chair

he 2010 PSMA Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with APEC 2010 at the Palm Springs Convention Center in Palm Springs, CA on Monday February 22. A buffet breakfast at 8:00 a.m. will precede the meeting and individuals from member companies as well non-member guests are invited to attend and participate in a full agenda of topics of interest to the industry. Regular member company representatives will participate in the election of four new Directors to serve on the PSMA Board for a three-year term beginning immediately and ending at APEC 2013. The detailed agenda for the meeting will be posted in the News & Information section of the web site but will include reports from each of the committees and stimulating discussions on new PSMA initiatives for 2010 and beyond. In addition there will be informative presentations from invited guest speakers on current directions in the industry.

Members and guests are also invited to remain for the Board of Directors meeting that will immediately follow the Annual Meeting. Participation in these meetings will provide you with the opportunity you to network with colleagues from other companies and to influence the direction of the PSMA and the power sources industry.

Another good way to get more out of your company membership in PSMA is to get involved with one of our active committees. The Alternative Energy, Energy Efficiency, Industry-Education, Magnetics, Marketing, Nanotechnology, Packaging and Semiconductor committees all plan to hold open meetings during the week of APEC 2010. All are invited to participate or to just drop in to hear and provide input as the activities are being planned for the coming year.

We look forward to meeting and talking with you at the PSMA booth in the exhibition area. This is only the second time that APEC will be held in a convention center and we look forward to a good turnout and a very exciting week.

For the latest information on all of the activities planned during APEC 2010, visit us at www.psma.com. We will post information as it becomes available closer to the date of the conference.

he 2009 Planning Meeting took place at the Marriott Courtyard Palm Springs and was attended by sixteen PSMA members and guests. After a presentation by Chairman Dusty Becker and a six-quarter financial forecast provided by Treasurer Rob Hill, several committee chairs reported on their committee’s activities. These reports were followed by an interactive “brain storming” session to list the possible activities and focus for PSMA over the next year (and beyond). A list of possible projects was developed and will be used in the survey of PSMA members which will be distributed in the next few weeks.

After the Planning Meeting many of the participants visited the Palm Springs Convention Center and were impressed with the facilities available for the exhibit area and the facilities for the technical session and meetings. The minutes of the Planning Meeting, including all of the presentations, can be found on the “Members Only” section of the PSMA website.

Arnold Alderman, Zan Huang, Carl Blake, Bob White & Chuck Mullett at the 2009 PSMA Planning Meeting

Greg Evans, Kevin Parmenter, Ed Herbert & Frank Cirolia were also at the 2009 PSMA Planning Meeting

Joe Horzepa, Van Niemela, Ada Cheng & Lou Pechi listen as Jim Spangler makes a point at the 2009 PSMA Planning Meeting

Prior to the 2009 Planning Meeting, the Technology Roadmap Committee met to plan for the 2011 Power Technology Roadmap. Roadmap Committee Co-chairs Carl Blake and Aung Thet Tu began planning for the 2011 Roadmap in May. The Committee has been holding monthly teleconferences. The Technology Segments for the Roadmap have been agreed upon and recruiting Segment Leaders has begun. The Committee is continuing to hold monthly teleconferences and will meet again in person during APEC 2010.

Co-chair Aung Thet Tu delivers his presentation at the Technology Roadmap meeting

Co-chair Carl Blake & Dusty Becker, Chuck Mullett & Kevin Parmenter follow the presentation intently

Editor’s note: To view more pictures from the Technology Roadmap Committee meeting and the 2009 Planning Meeting, please visit the Photo Gallery at www.psma.com.

While every manufacturing environment requires different levels of protection, SolaHD offers a broad range of products that allows you to select the best solution for your power quality problem.

Power Supplies
Our highly-efficient, compact power supplies come in a wide range of voltages and available features, including PowerBoost™ overload circuitry, hazardous location certifications and optional redundant accessories.

Power Conditioning

Power Conditioners insulate equipment from the transient noise, voltage surges, harmonics and changing voltage conditions that cause 95% of all power quality issues.

Filters & Surge Protection
SolaHD DIN Rail mountable surge protective devices and filters deliver 24-hour protection from the full spectrum of voltage transients and noises that can cause long-term damage to sensitive equipment.

Transformers SolaHD dry-type transformers are offered encapsulated, ventilated or non-ventilated, 600 Volt Class, isolation type, single and three phase, through 500 kVA. Indoor and outdoor models are available. They are designed and built in a vast range of configurations to meet requirements for variables, such as power, heat, voltage and environmental conditions.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies
Our advanced line of uninterruptible power supplies keep your machinery running with industry-leading, micro-processor controlled designs during power interruptions.

Provided by Michelle N. Redman,
Marketing Communications Specialist,
SolaHD, EGS Electrical Group

Editors Note: We would like to feature your company in a future issue of the Update. Please contact the Association Office for information about how to submit an article for consideration.

JAS Technical Media

Joshua Israelsohn
PO Box 55
Prides Crossing, MA 01965
E-Mail: joshua@jas-technicalmedia.com
Web Site: www.jas-technicalmedia.com

JAS Technical Media offers technical-communication services to increase clients’ competitiveness by improving the clarity and value of their technical-marketing materials. The JAS Technical Media team are experts with decades’ experience in both technologies and technical communication. This combination powers a unique set of services that extend clients’ ability to exploit efficiently existing resources and opportunities.

JAS also operates an ad-sales network with access to international and unique properties in North America, Europe, and Asia.

PSMA has always recognized that a key benefit of membership is networking.  It is not only essential to what we do as an organization but PSMA is and has been very intentional about providing networking opportunities.  Whether it is our sponsorship of APEC, the hosting of a reception or providing conference scholarships to students, PSMA provides opportunities to meet and interact with others throughout industry and academia that are involved in power electronics.

Through LinkedIn, PSMA is now providing yet another opportunity to not only network but to help manage that network.  Internet-based social networking has seen incredible growth in the last few years.  Facebook now boasts over 300 million members worldwide.  It growth is the result of its ability to help friends connect (or reconnect) and stay in touch.  While valuable for networking friends it isn’t really much of a tool for the working professional.

LinkedIn, on the other hand, is a business-oriented networking tool designed to help professionals manage a wide variety of contacts and to identify relationships that might help them to further their network.  It also allows you to manage the information that is publicly available about you as a professional.  LinkedIn has recently grown to over 50 million members in about 200 countries.  Half of the members are outside of the United States.  Membership is free and you can easily join by visiting www.linkedin.com

In order to facilitate networking within the power electronics industry, PSMA has established a group specifically for its members and those interested in the activities of PSMA.  You can join the group by visiting http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1918832

If you have been wondering if there is a better way to manage your network of contacts than keeping a box full of outdated business cards, on-line networking may provide you with the tool you are looking for.  Joining the PSMA LinkedIn group is a great way to start.

Provided by Marshall Miles, Senior Partner, Power Perceptions

However, despite the projected growth and advancements in technology, the PV industry is still experiencing a number of challenges – one of the most serious being PV shading. The most common causes of PV shading include structural objects such as trees and chimneys and intermittent debris, including falling leaves, bird droppings, dust and clouds passing overhead. These are unavoidable challenges that cannot be engineered out of an installation. In the case of structural shade, even correctly installed solar systems can be partially blocked from the sun at certain times of the day or during certain days of the year.

Two distinct approaches have emerged to address these challenges, microinverters and dc-dc solutions. Microinverters convert the optimized dc power output of each PV module directly into ac suitable for grid connection. Dc-dc solutions maximize the dc power output of each module regardless of the performance of other modules connected in the same string by compensating for module mismatch, environmental degradation, or shading, and route the optimized dc to a central inverter for dc-ac conversion.

In the microinverter approach, instead of a large single inverter, individual microinverters are attached to each solar module. With all modules being independent, there is no single point of failure, so the system will keep operating even if one or more modules go down. This fundamental approach could make it significantly easier to design, build, and monitor solar systems, particularly smaller systems for homes and businesses.

The first commercially available microinverter (designed specifically for residential and small commercial rooftops) was introduced in 2008 by Enphase Energy. In an Enphase system, each solar module is equipped with a microinverter and all of the modules are connected in parallel. In contrast to traditional PV inverters which perform maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for the entire array as a whole, each Enphase microinverter performs MPPT on the module before dc-ac conversion at near 95% efficiency. One of the advantages of this system is the lack of a single point of failure. If one microinverter fails, the balance of the PV system continues to produce power. Or if one of the solar panels loses production due to shading, debris or defect, the entire system is not affected.

An alternative approach to microinverter technology are dc dc solutions, such as National Semiconductor’s Solar Magic power optimizer. SolarMagic power optimizers operate in the dc domain, prior to the system’s inverter. They essentially do the same thing as microinverters except that they do not provide the dc-ac conversion function and are designed to be retrofitted into older, existing systems that have shade or other issues.
National Semiconductor’s SolarMagic optimizers are designed to ensure that each panel is counted individually so that one bad panel can't take down an entire string. According to the company, the problem is that the entire photovoltaic system shares an inverter to optimize output. But a single inverter isn’t capable of optimizing different conditions that panels, even in the same array, can face.

The result is either the inverter picks the highest common operating point for all the panels, which can severely decrease the output of fully functional panels, or that entire strings of panels can stop contributing to the energy harvesting, much like a string of Christmas lights that goes out because of one faulty bulb. National Semiconductor states that Solar Magic is especially suitable for areas that might have one string with partial shading or for areas that get intermittent shading from clouds on a regular basis. Unlike microinverters, Solar Magic products are only added to strings that are known to have shade.

According to the company, SolarMagic technology enables each solar panel to produce maximum energy regardless of whether other panels are under-performing due to mismatch or shading. This technology also monitors and maximizes the energy harvest of each individual solar panel and reclaims up to 57% of energy lost due to temporary or partial shading of PV panels. In addition, despite the extra step in dc conversion, the company maintains that solar Magic achieves 98.5% efficiency vs. 95.0 % efficiency for microinverters.

The problem of PV shading is expected to remain and regardless of which technology (microinverters or dc solutions) the consumer chooses over the next several years, they are certain to have an increasing number of products to choose from as a growing number of companies scramble to develop competing technologies designed to combat the effects of PV shading.

Enphase Energy Solution to PV Shading

Solar Magic Solution to PV Shading

Provided by Richard Ruiz Jr., Research Analyst, Darnell Group

According to IMS Research’s latest study, Infineon Technologies retained its position as the world’s largest supplier of power semiconductors, increasing its market share to 9%. It was one of the few leading suppliers to record revenue growth in 2008. In total, eight of the 15 largest suppliers of power semiconductors experienced a decline in their business in 2008, with all of them likely to see further drops this year.

One of the largest gains in market share was achieved by Texas Instruments. Although it only held a 4.5% share of the $26 billion power semiconductor market, it was again ranked #1 for power ICs, by growing its share to 9.1% in 2008. In addition to penetrating new markets with its power IC products, the company also re-entered the power discrete market last year with its acquisition of CICLON Semiconductor.

Outside of the top 15 suppliers, one of the largest revenue and market share gains was seen by Hitachi, driven by its success in the growing traction market. Traction is often overlooked within the power industry, particularly by those companies focusing on higher volume, faster moving sectors like computing and consumer. Although very small in comparison, traction was in fact the fastest growing sector for power discretes and modules in 2008, growing by around 25% - not insignificant given this sector actually generated more revenues than the closely watched renewable energy sector.

Even with the help of relatively buoyant sectors like renewable energy and traction, a strong rebound in growth for power semiconductors is not predicted and instead a gradual return to positive growth is anticipated. Despite the cautious sentiment within the industry that the bottom has been hit and that growth will soon return, annual growth of just 8% is forecast for 2010. Furthermore, IMS Research predicts that the power semiconductor market will not return to its 2008 size until 2012 at the earliest.

Provided by Ash Sharma, Research Director for IMS Research’s Power & Energy Group.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) of the United Nations has given its stamp of approval to an energy-efficient one-charger-fits-all new mobile phone solution. The announcement comes as ITU lobbies hard to have the essential role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) recognized in the draft Copenhagen Agreement as a key part of the solution towards mitigating climate change.

Brian L. Halla, Chairman and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp., addressed the role of electronics in creating more energy-efficient systems, optimizing renewable energy sources and enabling smarter energy storage systems. He delivered his comments in a keynote speech, "A World Racing to Be Green," at the Nikkei Green Device 2009 Forum in Yokohama, Japan.

Though these are the latest events, the importance of power electronics had been gaining momentum for some time. In 2006, Bill Weihl, Energy Czar at Google, along with Urs Hoelzle, wrote about high-efficiency power supplies for home computers and servers. Considering Google is a search engine company that primarily derives its revenue from advertising, and not through energy efficiency-based products, one can surmise that the importance of power electronics was becoming pervasive.

However, these events are just not happening at the corporate periphery, but every day in modern life. Power electronics is playing an important role in our homes (with emerging solar roofs), our cars (through emerging electric and hybrid vehicles) and through modern appliances, computers and mobile phones. Power electronics has become an important part of our everyday modern life and is expected to play an even bigger role in the future through acquisition of new energy efficient products/applications.

There are new opportunities in data centers, renewable energy generation, LED lighting applications, DC buildings, to name a few. In data centers, Emerson Electric, as the largest company in the power electronics market, holds the advantage as it is capable of providing a complete and total solution from embedded power supplies and UPSs to the entire powering architecture. This is one of the unique power electronics companies that have such an array of products and technical expertise.

Renewable energy is the promising and emerging field that has spawned a number of new and successful companies. SMA Solar Technology, a Germany-based company, is expected to pass a billion dollar mark in this industry during 2009, showing growth, while most traditional power electronics companies have shown a decline. Among traditional power supply companies Power-One has entered this market with gusto and has increased its presence during this downturn. In addition, Delta Electronics, one of the largest embedded power supply companies, has moved aggressively into renewable energy market. LED lighting is another emerging and promising market that offers wide and varied application opportunities. And the list of new opportunities can go on.

In the end, one asks, what does this new paradigm mean to me? Will these new seemingly endless opportunities benefit me and my company in the long run? Or are these just hypothetical, theoretical presumptions which look good on paper, create excitement in discussion groups but are unachievable in real life. The scope of power electronics is changing and significant opportunities await for those companies willing to explore and invest in these new frontiers and take advantage of in this expansive new paradigm. The opportunities need to be explored diligently or they may fall outside the natural progression of a company or the industry.

The views expressed in this article are solely of Mohan Mankikar's alone. They do not represent view of PSMA. Mohan Mankikar has been a part of the power supply industry for over twenty years, has been an active member of PSMA since its founding, and has been on the Board of PSMA and currently acts as an advisor.

Provided by Mohan Mankikar, President, Micro-Tech Consultants

ENERGY STAR product specifications are developed by the EPA using a systemic process that relies on rigorous market, engineering, and pollution savings analysis. The specifications are then periodically revised to ensure relevancy under current market conditions. Throughout the specification development process, EPA maintains an open stakeholder process, working closely with industry and other parties to determine the appropriateness of proposed ENERGY STAR requirements. ENERGY STAR specifications strive to differentiate the most efficient products and move the market toward more energy-efficient designs. The Version 4.0 and 5.0 ENERGY STAR specifications for TVs were finalized in September 2009 and are scheduled to take effect on May 1, 2010 and May 1, 2012, respectively.

The revised specifications for TVs focus on power consumption while in the ON-mode. The ENERGY STAR specifications require TVs to use less power when turned ON, ensure a satisfactory level of brightness for the consumer, and curb power associated with downloading program guide data. If all TVs sold in the United States met the new ENERGY STAR requirements, Americans would save $2.5 billion annually in energy costs while reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions of about 3 million cars.

The specifications will offer important savings in the larger size TVs. By 2010, Americans will own more than 19 million TVs with screens larger than 40 inches. The new 46- and 50-inch ENERGY STAR qualified TV models will deliver almost 50 percent energy savings over conventional models of the same size. With $2.5 billion worth of annual energy savings at stake, manufacturers may see a larger consumer demand for ENERGY STAR qualified TVs. Power source manufacturers who wish to become, or remain, eligible for the voluntary ENERGY STAR program should be aware of these revisions.

The following is a breakdown of on-mode levels that TVs must meet to earn the ENERGY STAR label under the Version 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 specifications by example screen sizes:

20-inch screen
Version 3.0 (current)—66 watts (HDTVs
Version 4.0 (May 2010)—37 watts
Version 5.0 (May 2012)—27 watts

32-inch screen
Version 3.0 (current)—120 watts (HDTVs)
Version 4.0 (May 2010)—78 watts
Version 5.0 (May 2012)—55 watts

42-inch screen
Version 3.0 (current)—208 watts (HDTVs)
Version 4.0 (May 2010)—115 watts
Version 5.0 (May 2012)—81 watts

50-inch screen
Version 3.0 (current)—318 watts (HDTVs)
Version 4.0 (May 2010)—153 watts
Version 5.0 (May 2012)—108 watts

60-inch screen
Version 3.0 (current)—391 watts (HDTVs)
Version 4.0 (May 2010)—210 watts
Version 5.0 (May 2012)—108 watts

The final Version 4.0 and 5.0 specifications can be found on the ENERGY STAR Web Site: http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/revisions/ downloads/television/Final_Version%204_5_TV_Program_Requirements.pdf.

Photos courtesy of the U.S. EPA, ENERGY STAR Program.

Provided by Melissa Klein,
Communications Specialist,
US EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program

• Q2 2009 deal volume comparison by total transactions, category, geography, and size
• Recent transaction announcements within the Power Electronics sector
• A look at margin performance in the Power Electronics industry

power_electronics_index.pdf (80k pdf)

This data is included with the permission of Lincoln International. For more information, you may contact John McManus (jmcmanus@lincolninternational.com) or the Association Office.

incoln International’s™ Renewable Energy Group is pleased to present the latest 2009 Solar Energy Stock Index Report, which tracks relevant solar company metrics in this growing industry.

Their Renewable Energy Group is at the forefront of the growth and development of the worldwide renewable energy industry.  Whether through acquisition, divestiture, capital raising, or strategic investment, Lincoln’s industry expertise and global reach provide a valuable resource to companies seeking to implement their renewable energy initiatives. Areas of focus include biofuels, fuel cells / batteries, geothermal, hydroelectric, smart-grid technologies, solar and wind energies.
The Solar Energy Stock Index Report, published by the Renewable Energy team each quarter, provides you with information on the following:

• Quarterly performance of the Solar Energy Stock Index versus the S&P Index
• Relative market valuations of each Solar Energy Category
• Current financial data for each company in the index

solar_energy_stock_index.pdf (52k pdf)

This data is included with the permission of Lincoln International. For more information, you may contact John McManus (jmcmanus@lincolninternational.com) or the Association Office.

• Q3 2009 deal volume comparison by total transactions, category, geography, and size
• Recent transaction announcements within the Power Electronics sector
• A look at margin performance in the Power Electronics industry

power_electronic_dealreader.pdf (52k pdf)

This data is included with the permission of Lincoln International. For more information, you may contact John McManus (jmcmanus@lincolninternational.com) or the Association Office.

• Q3 deal volume comparison by total transactions, deal type, geography, and sector of the target company
• Recent Solar Energy transaction announcements
• An analysis of growth trends affecting the Solar Energy industry

solar_energy_dealreader.pdf (52k pdf)

This data is included with the permission of Lincoln International. For more information, you may contact John McManus (jmcmanus@lincolninternational.com) or the Association Office.

If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.