I. Green Power Electronics Industry
The concept of a "green power electronics industry" has been proposed, based on the energy-saving and high-efficiency characteristics of power electronics technology. As early as the late 1950s, with the successful development of high-power semiconductor devices using silicon as a substrate and their replacement of mercury arc rectifiers in power electronic devices, the energy-saving and high-efficiency characteristics of power electronics technology gradually became apparent. With the continuous expansion of the application fields of power electronic products, people have gradually recognized its enormous role. Especially now, in the "post-oil era," the concepts of "energy saving and environmental protection" have taken root, providing a rare stage for the power electronics industry to shine.
II. Core Competitiveness
Core competitiveness refers to a company's unique ability to generate profits, survive, and achieve sustainable development in market competition. Core technology refers to one or more technologies that play the most critical role in market competition for similar products in a particular industry or field.
Core technologies are the most important component of core competitiveness , and possessing core technologies with independent intellectual property rights is the path to national strength. History tells us that enhancing national competitiveness hinges on strengthening technological competitiveness, and possessing core technologies with independent intellectual property rights is an inevitable strategic choice to overcome major bottlenecks in the national economy, such as structural imbalances and extensive growth models. Possessing core technologies with independent intellectual property rights is a strategic arrangement to break free from dependence on others for key technologies. Compared to the approximately 5% foreign technology dependence of developed countries like the United States and Japan, China's foreign technology dependence exceeds 50%. For enterprises, without core technologies and products, there can be no significant development, and sustainable healthy growth is impossible. Some say, "In the 1960s, the focus was on cost; in the 1970s, quality; in the 1980s, the speed of product launches; in the 1990s, service; and in the 21st century, core competitiveness is key." Continuous technological innovation is the decisive factor in cultivating enterprise core competitiveness, while establishing a human resource management model suitable for knowledge workers is the internal guarantee for cultivating enterprise core technological competitiveness.
In the power electronics industry , many core technologies and components in products rely on foreign countries, such as integration technologies or core control programs for major equipment and systems, DSP chips, high-power IGBT chips, and power management chips. Currently, there is considerable attention on IGBTs, which are considered core components of new power electronics products. However, given that they are over twenty years old, shouldn't we consider what devices can replace IGBTs? Furthermore, we only focus on key components in the main circuit; while they are used in key control components, they are generally outside the purview of power electronics professionals, and no efforts have been made to promote domestic development. Power management chips and similar products that integrate power devices and control circuits are developing rapidly, while China is still in the initial stages, and the gap with advanced levels has been widening in recent years. We should clearly recognize that this is the direction of modern power electronics technology development, because integration, modularization, and standardization are the eternal innovation goals of power electronic devices.
III. Integration of Industry, Academia, and Research with Technology Industry Alliances
Enterprises should not only focus on core technologies but also on the applicability of those technologies, with the core principle being to meet market demands. This complementarity and interaction between the two aspects enables the entire process from innovation to application. The optimal implementation of this process is through the close integration of production, education, and research. We need to build a technology innovation system that is "enterprise-led, market-oriented, and integrates production, education, and research." Research institutions and universities should play a leading role in scientific innovation, but in technological innovation, they should willingly play a supporting role, serving enterprises and not acting solely in the market.
In contrast, some companies act as "stand-ins" for businesses. Stanford University's contributions to Silicon Valley are world-renowned, but it never directly engages in business. Instead, it promotes Silicon Valley's prosperity by disseminating advanced innovative concepts and cultivating outstanding talent. The shift from enterprise-driven innovation to interactive innovation involving industry, academia, and research has become a common trend in technological innovation.
The integration of industry, academia, and research has become a fundamental model for technological innovation organization in China. This phenomenon is quite common in the power electronics industry . Despite this positive development trend, some deep-seated problems and obstacles remain, hindering the breadth and depth of this integration. These include unclear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of each party involved, an inadequate benefit protection mechanism, and insufficient government guidance. Entering the 21st century, the global industrial technology development model has undergone significant changes, triggering a reshuffling of the industrial competition landscape. Today, world-renowned companies universally advocate "industrial technology alliances," making them a crucial competitive tool in the new era and hailed as "the most important organizational innovation of the late 20th century." As early as 2002, some Chinese companies began establishing industrial alliances. However, the level of cooperation within these alliances is generally low, typically remaining at the stage of joint market development, primarily consisting of production and marketing alliances. Furthermore, many alliances are established through administrative means, resulting in low overall efficiency and limited benefits for their member companies.
Currently, efforts are underway to establish " Power Electronics Industry Alliances " or "Power Electronics Industry Technology Alliances" in China. Xi'an has already established the "Xi'an Regional Power Electronics Industry Alliance," and a nationwide "Power Electronics Technology Industry Alliance" is being prepared. This is a sign of cooperation within China's power electronics industry. Although competition exists among companies within these alliances, there is still a basis for cooperation in many areas, including industry standards, sharing of basic and common technologies, new product development trends, and information exchange.
IV. Market Guidance and Guiding the Market
Products and markets are interdependent and form the two pillars of a company's survival and development. As mentioned earlier, my country's power electronics products are primarily driven by Western multinational corporations in terms of technology and product guidance. But what about market guidance? In the last decade or so, my country's market guidance has gradually taken effect, with the Three Gorges Project being a prime example. The Three Gorges Project led to numerous breakthroughs in major equipment development in my country, demonstrating not only the project's immense impact but also its significant guiding role in promoting technological progress and innovation. Currently, major projects and equipment underway in my country, such as ultra-high-voltage power transmission, high-speed trains, large aircraft, and new energy, are all playing a market-guiding role in promoting advanced technologies and products.
However, from the perspective of the power electronics industry and enterprises, we need to talk about guiding the market. When an industry can lead the market with its products, it can be said that the industry is basically strong, which is also the highest stage of industrial development. Judging from the current situation, China's power electronics industry is not yet able to guide the market. Except for a very few products, we do not expect to see this scenario in the next ten years. In other words, China's power electronics products still have a considerable gap in meeting market demand, but guiding the market is a goal that the power electronics industry should pursue.
V. Fundamental Technologies and Common Technologies
The crucial role of basic technological research in scientific and technological development is increasingly recognized. Basic research addressing major national needs has a clear application context and typically requires large-scale research programs involving scientists from diverse fields. This type of basic technological research is generally valued in my country, with programs like the Ministry of Science and Technology's "863 Program," "973 Program," and the National Natural Science Foundation of China falling into this category. Early-stage technological development for new power electronic products has also received such support. However, overall, the implementation of these programs has had a limited impact on the development of new power electronic products. Support for projects is not sustainable, often consisting of one-off grants with limited impact. Basic research for some products requires five, ten, or even longer periods. The government generally struggles to support this type of original innovation research, and companies and universities often lack the necessary patience. This is how "milestone" products are born, explaining the high cost of original innovation.
From the perspective of China's current status as a "developing country," it seems reasonable not to do such things. However, from the perspective of China's "leapfrog development," we should pay attention to such matters. In the field of power electronics, silicon carbide devices and high-power high-frequency power electronic devices theoretically fall into this category.
"Common technology" refers to a concept, component, process, or science that can be applied to a wide range of products or processes. "Industry common technology" refers to technologies that have been or may be widely applied in many fields, whose research and development results can be shared and have a profound impact on the entire industry or multiple industries and their enterprises. Industry common technology has four characteristics: fundamental, open, external, and relevant.
While government-led initiatives are generally required for developing common industrial technologies, the "industry-academia-research" or "government-industry-academia-research" model is also a viable approach. Research into common industrial technologies requires a platform, and some "industry-academia-research" models are currently being implemented. One example is the "Development of Key Power Electronic Devices and Major Equipment" project, a key project under the 11th Five-Year Plan National Science and Technology Support Program organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
VI. Optimize the industrial structure
Optimizing the industrial structure means rationalizing it. Currently, the power electronics industry is mainly undergoing natural adjustments through market forces and natural selection. The power electronics industry is a very small segment for the country. Therefore, the government may not be able to intervene in its optimization and adjustment. Currently, China's power electronics industry has two unfavorable characteristics: duplication of low-level products (overcapacity) and scarcity of high-tech products. Of course, this is also a characteristic of many industries in China. Everyone makes easy products, while high-tech products, which are difficult to make and risky, are produced by fewer people. How to guide the harmonious development of the power electronics industry and maintain a dynamic equilibrium in its industrial structure over a certain period is one of the issues we need to focus on. The following points are suggested:
(1) Provide guidance. Guide enterprises to develop and produce distinctive products, rather than just making products that bring in quick profits. Without distinctive products, it is difficult for enterprises to sustain themselves and obtain substantial profits.
(2) Channels for providing common technologies. Small businesses and newly established companies do not have enough funds to develop products with high technical difficulty. Therefore, lowering the threshold for obtaining technology can reduce the cost of developing new products for these companies. The results of the industry common technology research platform mentioned above, funded by the government or industry, provide such a channel.
(3) Periodically phase out outdated products. Currently, the power electronics industry still produces a large number of "energy-consuming and inefficient" products, which runs counter to the establishment of "green" power electronics products. The association should publish a "list of phased-out products" (blacklist) and a list of new products every year, and specifically inform the application fields not to use products on the "blacklist", guiding enterprises to develop and produce "green" products.
VII. Conclusion
The power electronics industry is one of China's important pillar industries, and its level directly affects the country's overall industrial technology level. For the power electronics industry to achieve significant, comprehensive, and sustainable development, we must proactively take measures to influence the government and even society to pay attention to this industry. Only in this way can this emerging industry develop rapidly and healthily, playing a vital role in the development of our entire national economy.
