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Efficiency Standards

Earth Day 2026 - How Global Efficiency Regulations Are Shaping the Future of Power Electronics

Regulatory ambition, cooling‑driven electricity demand, and the rapid electrification of transport are all reshaping expectations for power conversion, motor control, and system efficiency. This blog is a global snapshot of where we are, and what it signals for designers and OEMs going forward.

By Mr. Green

04/21/2026
AI Data Centers

1250 V /1750 V GaN Solution Addresses the Need for 800 V Bus Architectures in Power-Hungry AI Data Centers

The rapid adoption of generative AI, driven by power-hungry GPUs, has pushed rack-level power demand from tens of kilowatts just a few years ago to well over 100 kilowatts today—with megawatt-per-rack designs predicted in the near future.

By Mr. Green

02/06/2026
Electric Vehicles

PowiGaN Proves Its Value in Extreme Solar Challenge

At the heart of Silvretta — aCentauri Solar Racing‘s solar-powered challenger car entry in the grueling 3,022-kilometer Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) across the Australian Outback — is a power electronics circuit using PowiGaN gallium nitride (GaN) technology from Power Integrations.

By Mr. Green

08/28/2025

Recent Posts

Electric Vehicles

A Proving Ground for Renewable Transportation Technology

The future of personal transportation is up for grabs as society transitions from hydrocarbon fuels to renewable energy sources. Events such as the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) serve as...

Electric Vehicles

Driving a Gas-Powered Van in the Middle of a Solar Car Race

In 2023, while chasing solar-powered cars across the Australian Outback during the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC), I found myself behind the wheel of a petrol-powered van. The irony wasn’t...

Electric Vehicles

Challenges of Providing a DC-DC Power Supply for Solar Race Car Applications

Designing a solar race car requires not only mechanical ingenuity but also highly efficient and compact electronics to manage power delivery across the vehicle. In this post, we explore the...

Electric Vehicles

Electric Vehicle Batteries in 2025: Redefining the Road Ahead

In the fast-evolving world of electric vehicles (EVs), battery technology remains the linchpin of innovation. In 2025, the industry is seeing a wave of advancements that are expanding range, slashing...

Electric Vehicles

John Storey and the Solar Spirit — A Life Devoted to Sustainability and Innovation

In 1987, a newspaper ad caught the eye of a physics professor in Sydney. It was a call to adventure: build a car powered only by the sun and race...

Electric Vehicles

Racing the Sun — How the 2025 World Solar Challenge is Pushing the Limits of Efficiency and Reliability

Every two years, innovative young minds from around the world gather in Australia for a race unlike any other. The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge isn’t about speed—it’s about pushing the...

Electric Vehicles

Team aCentauri Unveils 2025 Solar Car with PowiGaN Efficiency

Silvretta features a PowiGaN-based DC-DC converter provided by Power Integrations. The 95% efficient converter delivers electricity efficiently and reliability to the car’s 12 V systems, including steering, vehicle control, photovoltaic...

Electric Vehicles

Bon Voyage – How to Keep EVs “Alive” Across Oceans En Route to Global Expansion

In recent years, the electric vehicle (EV) industry has experienced a remarkable shift toward global expansion. Fast-growing manufacturers in China are investing in massive carriers, transporting thousands of new cars...

Expert Perspectives

Keep It Running: Benefits of Predictive Maintenance in IGBT Systems

Predictive maintenance aims to minimize the frequency of maintenance by collecting and analyzing operational data to identify anomalies and behavior patterns which presage equipment failures. Using this methodology, a process...

GaN Technology

Where GaN Can, It Should…and GaN Can in More and More Places

The perception of GaN’s place has changed significantly with our recent launch of a GaN device with a breakdown voltage of 1700 V. What does this mean for industry and...

Efficiency Standards

Harnessing the Future of Power Electronics: DOE Roadmap

The DOE’s ambitious agenda sets a course to cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero carbon emissions across all sectors by 2050. Such goals demand groundbreaking advancements...

Appliances

Crush Your Beer Fridge, and Maybe Your Main Fridge, Too.

In 2022, I wrote a blog about how that old beer fridge you might have lurking in your garage is probably worth replacing with a newer model. In short, refrigerator...

GaN Technology

Maturation of GaN Market Evident at Recent Power Events Worldwide

In his plenary address at APEC earlier this year, Power Integrations CEO Balu Balakrishnan stated: “Efficiency and renewables hold the key to achieving carbon-reduction targets”, and that therefore “power semiconductors...

Appliances

Revolutionizing Home Efficiency: The Push for BLDC Fans in India

In a world increasingly concerned with energy conservation and efficiency, a revolution is taking place in Indian homes. The move from conventional inductive fans to Brushless DC (BLDC) fans is...

Electric Vehicles

E-Mobility Devices and Charging Safety in Domestic Applications

UL certification has become increasingly important for charging of e-scooters and e-bikes. Authorities emphasize the necessity for UL-certified products to enhance the safety of charging e-mobility devices.

GaN Provides a Robust Solutions in High-Voltage Applications

GaN Technology

GaN Provides a Robust Solution in High-Voltage Applications

In the realm of electronic engineering, the trend towards higher operating voltages is a significant development driven by the need for increased efficiency and power density in various applications. Gallium...

Expert Perspectives

Paris Olympics - Further, Faster, Higher… More Sustainable?

According to Olympics.com, the official website of the Olympics: “previous Summer Games emitted an average of 3.5 million tons of CO2”. Paris 2024 aims to halve that figure and has...

Renewable Energy

Does It Make Sense to Cover the Desert with Solar Panels?

So, given that we need more clean energy, covering large tracts of seemingly barren land where the sun is pretty much always shining with solar panels seems an excellent solution.

Efficiency Standards

EU Ecodesign Exploring New Ways to Assess Energy Efficiency of Computers

The landscape of computing technology in the EU is poised for a transformation, guided by the principles of sustainability and efficiency. As part of this evolution, Regulation (EU) No 617/2013...

Electric Vehicles

Streetlight Charging: A Solution for Urban EV Infrastructure

In 2016, London piloted a project in Kensington and Chelsea to convert streetlights into EV charging stations. This involved upgrading fuses for safe power delivery without disrupting the electrical network...

Electric Vehicles

Charging into the Future: Europe and the United States Race to Build EV Infrastructure

The global shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) is accelerating, with both governmental incentives and the necessity for climate-friendly alternatives paving the way. This transition hinges largely on a robust, accessible...

Appliances

Saving Energy in the Home with BLDC Motors

As efficiency standards continue to rise, the need for better power conversion technology becomes imperative. Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motors are increasingly being utilized in various household applications.

Appliances

The Future of Electricity in Our Homes

For over a century, alternating current (AC) has been powering devices in our homes, initially for lighting, then later for appliances and electronics as well. Because it was less expensive...

Expert Perspectives

The Sport of Stadiums Going Green

Allegiant Stadium, home of Super Bowl LVIII, just became the first NFL stadium powered exclusively by renewable energy. Many sports stadiums and arenas around the world are putting a lot...

Electric Vehicles

We Already Have EVs, Who Cares About Solar Cars?

Solar cars are the pace cars to the EV revolution. They are a test bed for the leading-edge technology of future electric vehicles. And the bright minds developing solar cars...

Electric Vehicles

Can You Really Use Solar Panels for a Passenger Car?

What happens if you try to use solar cells to power a production EV car? Is it possible or even practical? How big would the array need to be to...

Electric Vehicles

Beat Harsh Environments of the Outback with PowiGaN

PowiGaN is Power Integrations’ internally developed gallium nitride (GaN) technology. In addition to dramatically improving the efficiency of the solar car, PowiGaN technology also offers size reduction, reliability and ruggedness...

Expert Perspectives

Efficient Power Switching – A Key to Decarbonization

Similar to the efficiency benefits it provides the solar car racing across the Australian Outback, PowiGaN Technology can play a key role in the overall decarbonization of our planet.

Electric Vehicles

Vital Solar Race Telemetry Systems Must be Power Efficient

Any race pushes participants to the very limits of performance. When the purpose of the event is to challenge accepted thinking and try out multiple new technologies, the likelihood of...

Electric Vehicles

Considerations for Solar Car Auxiliary Power

The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) is a 3,000 km drive through the Australia Outback to test the limits of the most efficient solar cars. The electrical systems in any...

Electric Vehicles

Team αCentauri – Bright Minds for a Bright Future

Saturday, October 21 was the final round of dynamic scrutineering at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin, the last test to determine pole position for the World Solar Challenge race start.

Electric Vehicles

The World’s Greatest Innovation and Engineering Challenge

Billed today as “the World’s Greatest Innovation and Engineering Challenge,” the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is truly a testing ground for innovations in solar energy harvesting, energy efficiency and storage...

Electric Vehicles

Why is a Global Switcher IC Company Going on Walkabout with a Team of Swiss Students?

Power Integrations just announced sponsorship of αCentauri Solar Racing’s solar car in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Three great reasons make the sponsorship a natural fit for both PI and...

Renewable Energy

Turning Wind Power into Ammonia: A Sustainable Solution

Wind power is the USA's leading source of renewable energy, offsetting 329 million metric tons of CO2 emissions each year. However, its expansion faces challenges like geographic limitations and transportation...

Efficiency Standards

DOE Appliance Standards for External Power Supplies

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has recently proposed new energy conservation standards for External Power Supplies (EPSs). These proposed standards, known as Trial Standard Level 4 (TSL4), aim to...

Electric Vehicles

Electric School Buses and Government Subsidies

Almost 500,000 school buses serve approximately 25 million students in the US, driving around 3.4 billion miles a year and eliminating the need for about 17 million cars. Currently only...

Efficiency Standards

DOE Appliance Standards for Battery Chargers

Beyond test procedure changes, prescribed in the September 2022 Test Procedure Final Rule, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing amendments to energy conservation standards for battery chargers.

Efficiency Standards

DOE Appliance Standards for Refrigerators and Freezers

To encourage the adoption of efficient technologies such as variable-speed compressors, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to amend energy conservation standards for residential refrigerators and freezers. Historically...

Electric Vehicles

Four Key Technology Trends for EVs in the US

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are becoming more and more common, and although there are still challenges to overcome (such as scaling up infrastructure), most of the technological barriers have been removed...

Appliances

Heat Pumps: The Future of Domestic Heating

In the global quest to curb carbon emissions and foster sustainable living, heat pumps have emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional home heating methods. Unlike conventional systems that burn...

Electric buses charging at the end of a route

Electric Vehicles

Impact of Climate on the Range of Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a key piece in many governments’ plans to reduce carbon emissions. As more are deployed in a wider range of climates, we are learning about the...

Efficiency Standards

Shop for Efficiency – The Many Aspects of China’s Energy Efficiency Labeling

As the world's largest consumer of energy, China has both the responsibility and incentive to be a global leader for energy efficiency. For a country of 1.4 billion people, promoting...

Appliances

UK Government’s £1.5 Billion Household Energy Initiative Will Boost Adoption of Advanced Power Electronics

The UK Government recently launched a program called “Help to Heat,”, which aims to significantly reduce the energy bills for approximately 130,000 low-income households across England.

Electric Vehicles

EV Battery Swapping vs. Extreme Fast Charging

Entering the second decade of the global electric car revolution, battery charging time remains the highest hurdle to clear. Between the two primary solutions, battery swapping versus extreme-fast charging (XFC)...

Efficiency Standards

DOE Appliance Standards for Microwave Ovens

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) held a public meeting to present its analysis and proposals for energy conservation standards for microwave ovens. Current standards govern microwave oven standby mode...

Electric Vehicles

Why Do EVs Still Need 12 V Lead-Acid Batteries? Well, They Don’t!

The continuous advancement of lithium-ion battery technology has given electric cars longer driving range, faster acceleration and more horsepower than ever before. And yet, most EVs on the road today...

Expert Perspectives

The Next Step Toward the Electrification of Everything

The electrification of transportation is well under way, from land to water, and even the sky. So, what's next? If you live in California, the next step toward the electrification...

Renewable Energy

Growth of Wind Power Over the Next 30 Years

Reducing global CO2 emission depends heavily on renewable power generation. With all but four countries in the world signed up to the Paris Climate Agreement, the pressure is on to...

Appliances

Crush Your Beer Fridge

Old refrigerators consume a lot more electricity than the highly efficient models available today. Do a quick calculation, and you would find that you would have been better off buying...

Appliances

USB-C Chargers Will Soon Deliver Power to All Your Tech

From its humble beginnings as a communication protocol connecting peripherals to PCs, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) has grown to become the dominant power delivery standard for consumer electronics and...

Electric Vehicles

EVs Need 800 V and 800 V Needs Silicon Carbide

800-volt electric vehicles (EVs) are here and more are coming. 800 V systems started in luxury EVs such as the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-Tron GT, and have since...

Efficiency Standards

DOE Appliance and Equipment Standards and Rulemaking

By law, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) must review each federal appliance standard every six years and decide whether an update is warranted. If so, it needs to publish...

Efficiency Standards

DOE Appliance Standards – External Power Supplies

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) held a public webinar on March 24 to review its preliminary analysis for External Power Supply (EPS) energy conservation standards. With the strong advancement...

Efficiency Standards

80+ Standard Continues to Drive Innovation

Happy Earth Day! As the leader in high-voltage integrated circuits (ICs) for energy efficient power conversion, Power Integrations celebrates the spirit of Earth Day everyday with innovative technologies that save...

Electric Vehicles

EU Parliament Approves Road Tolls Reform to Favor Zero-Emission Trucks

After five long years of negotiation, the European Parliament in February approved the Eurovignette Directive reform, offering significant toll discounts to hydrogen and battery-electric heavy goods vehicles. The new rules...

Appliances

Flex Demand Appliances Move California Toward Net Zero

The California Energy Commission (CEC) is developing flexible (flex) demand standards for consumer appliances. The standards are scheduled to take effect in the third quarter of 2023. Flex demand is...

Efficiency Standards

CEC Low-Power Mode Roadmap

Since the California Energy Commission (CEC) held a workshop in August of 2021 on Low-Power Mode (LPM) data collection, it has received many stakeholder comments on California’s non-regulatory approach to...

Appliances

Clean Low Carbon Heating Needs Power Electronics

The recently announced Heat and Buildings Strategy of the UK government has the goal of installing 600,000 heat pumps by 2028. To get there, the government is offering grants of...

Efficiency Standards

ENERGY STAR Update 2021

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has offered a Fall 2021 ENERGY STAR® Products Webinar Series in place of the in-person 2021 ENERGY STAR Products Partner Meeting that was canceled because...

Efficiency Standards

EU Online Energy Labeling and Compliance

Five product categories adopted new energy labeling in the EU, re-scaling classifications more meaningfully from A to G to encourage consumers to purchase more efficient products. As buying has migrated...

Appliances

Better than Free – Italy Offers 110% Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency Home Improvements

The Italian government is offering several incentives to boost its economy, including towns and villages selling abandoned houses for 1 € in exchange for a commitment to renovate. For people...

Efficiency Standards

ENERGY STAR Televisions Specification V9 Focuses on Dynamic Luminance

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is nearing completion of the Final Draft of ENERGY STAR® Television Specification Version 9, first proposed in 2020. Driven by the development of 4K...

Appliances

Smart Home Devices Need Compact and Efficient Power Supplies

Billions of line-powered smart devices with radios, sensors, actuators, and other connectivity components constantly need electricity. All of them can add up to a significant impact on the worldwide energy...

Appliances

A National Roadmap for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings

As part of the President’s climate agenda, the White House has announced plans to develop sustainability benchmarks for federal buildings. Buildings account for over 70% of U.S. electricity consumption and...

Efficiency Standards

Proposed Amendments to California Regulations on Computers and Monitors

On November 18, the CEC held an online public hearing on a Notice of Proposed Action to amend Title 20 Computer and Monitor Regulations.

Efficiency Standards

ENERGY STAR Televisions Version 9.0 Draft 1 Specification

The team at ENERGY STAR reviewed the Draft 1 Specification for Televisions Version 9.0 in a stakeholder webinar held on September 30. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will publish...

Efficiency Standards

DOE Analyzes Energy Conservation Standards for Room Air Conditioners

On August 5, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) held a public meeting and webinar on the appliance standard for room air conditioners (ACs). The DOE presented a preliminary analysis...

Efficiency Standards

Proposed Recognition Criteria for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021

On July 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted a webinar to propose recognition criteria across product categories for the ENERGY STAR® Most Efficient (ESME) 2021. As an extension...

Efficiency Standards

DOE Reviews Energy Conservation Standards for External Power Supplies

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is examining current energy conservation standards for External Power Supplies (EPS). As defined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), an “external power supply”...

Efficiency Standards

New Regulation in China for Room Air Conditioners

Since 2005, China has been promoting energy efficiency with its GB (“Guo Biao”) national standards, setting the scope, parameters, and prescriptive test limits for products ranging from household appliances and...