Researchers from the University of Aberdeen will join forces with academics from across Europe and the renewables industry to improve the performance, reliability and cost of components essential to a greener future.

The University of Aberdeen’s High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) research centre is one of nine partners on the new three-year Horizon Europe funded project MoWiLife.

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen will contribute with their experience in high-voltage DC and power electronics to the project by exploring the potential of silicon carbide (SiC) transistor technologies in power generation and transmission.

Traditionally, the power industry has relied on converters built with transistors and semiconductor devices based on silicon technology. However, recent advancements, including those by Infineon, a project partner, and other semiconductor manufacturers, suggest significant advantages to SiC MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors).

To better understand these benefits, the initiative will conduct hardware assessments in practical applications, culminating in the development of four MoWiLife demonstrators.

The Aberdeen HVDC research team will be responsible for developing and validating a functional SiC MOSFET hybrid circuit breaker, building on previous research projects at the university.

They will work alongside industry players including semiconductor manufacturers, wind generator manufacturers, and research centres to conduct research using analytical and experimental methods, evaluating SiC devices to develop the technology further.

Professor Dragan Jovcic, part of Aberdeen University’s research team, said: “Modernisation of electrical grid infrastructure and new generation methods will be crucial in our transition to clean energy.

“Electrification lies at the heart of decarbonisation and we will need expanded electrical networks to meet growing electricity demand from industry, transport and buildings.”

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Jovcic continued, “Power converters and electronics is the underpinning technology for this transition, and this brings significant challenges including development of new power electronics that meets user demands for high performance, reliability and sustainability, with affordable costs.”

According to Horizon Europe, the wider MoWiLife initiative also includes two wind energy converter pilots, the development of a 2.3 kV SiC MOSFET with temperature sensing and self-protection features, and research into the use of diamonds as semiconductor materials.