May 22, 2012 - Marketwire -- Power discretes’ sales revenue will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5%, 2012-2016, estimates GBI Research. Power discrete semiconductors are growing on demand for energy-efficient and environmentally friendly products.

As new high-growth end-use applications emerge, such as cloud computing and carbon emissions controls, power discrete semiconductors will shift from silicon substrates to silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium nitride on silicon (GaN-on-Si), and gallium arsenide (GaAs). These new substrate technologies offer improved efficiency and enable systems to use higher levels of power and a wider bandwidth. Also read: Power electronics grow on SiC and GaN innovation

Government policies focused on the need to save energy and reduce energy consumption, costs and emissions are improving energy efficiency in electronics, vehicles, etc. Data centers use high-performance semiconductor components such as IGBTs and Super-Junction power MOSFETs to support computing. Electric vehicles (EVs) use IGBTs and MOSFETS for inverter control of acceleration and deceleration.

Taxation and foreign production threatens the European power discretes market. Since 1999, packaged IGBT devices were imported by European nations, with a duty free rate applied to the imports. EU authorities have now changed this duty exemption through the reclassification of the devices, demanding import tax at 2-3%. This duty rate represents a significant cost restraint for the IGBT market due to the high volume of imports, and the significant predicted losses to both suppliers' and buyers' profit margins will therefore increase the cost of various electronic devices produced in the EU.

MarketResearch.com will distribute GBI Research’s report "Power Discretes Market to 2016 - Energy Efficiency Initiatives in the Power Sector to Increase Market Demand." For more information, visit http://www.marketresearch.com/GBI-Research-v3759/Power-Discretes-Energy-Efficiency-Initiatives-6927079/. MarketResearch.com provides global market intelligence products and services.

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