Renesas Adds 100V GaN FETs for AI and Industrial Power Conversion - EE Times Asia

Renesas's 100V GaN push is not a product-line extension—it is a structural realignment of power semiconductors. The 100V node sits at the 48V-to-12V conversion stage in AI server power delivery. As rack density approaches 100kW, Si MOSFET + LLC topologies hit a physical ceiling. GaN at 100V enables 2-3MHz switching, compressing PSU volume by 40%+—decisive in space-constrained AI data centers. Upstream, GaN epi-wafer suppliers (Qorvo in Taiwan, China; San'an in mainland) will feel the order pulse first. On compliance, Renesas leverages its Texas fab to partially sidestep export controls, yet epi-wafer supply remains tethered to Taiwan, China and mainland manufacturers. If Washington extends end-use scrutiny to AI power devices, the "Japan-design, US-manufacture" model faces cost restructuring. Competitively, Infineon's CoolGaN and Navitas hold first-mover positions. Renesas's edge is AEC-Q101 automotive reliability injected into AI power—a trust premium pure-play vendors cannot replicate. Expect 100V GaN ASPs to drop 25-35% within 12 months. 24-month call: the Si-replacement window at 100V is irreversible. By 2027, GaN penetration in AI server PSUs jumps from under 5% to 25%+. If Renesas bundles automotive channels with AI customers, it cracks open a power-semiconductor segment that simply did not exist before.