Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF
Bidirectional charging means that batteries of electric vehicles not only store the electrical energy for driving, but can also deliver it to an electrical device, to the home or to the power grid as needed. E-cars that act as mobile buffer storage can thus contribute to making the energy system more flexible and, as a result, to reducing CO2 emissions. New approaches are needed so that as many batteries as possible can be charged bidirectionally: That is why the GaN4EmoBiL project partners are researching new semiconductor, device and system technologies for the 800 V class that simultaneously achieve high efficiency, low costs and a compact design.
The goal of the GaN4EmoBiL consortium is to demonstrate an intelligent and cost-effective bidirectional charging system using new semiconductor, device and system technologies. To achieve this, the project partners are researching new semiconductor components (GaN high-voltage transistors on low-cost alternative substrates), component concepts (bidirectionally lockable power switches) and new system components (on- and off-board AC and DC chargers), also with regard to their reliability for greatly increased operating durations. Demonstrators will address the remaining research and development gap that currently exists between cost, efficiency, compactness, functionality, power class and voltage class (800 V batteries).
Thus, GaN4EmoBiL makes an important contribution to large-scale bidirectional system integration in electromobility.
