The Solid-State Shift: Reinventing the Transformer for Modern Grids

Transformers have been the backbone of power grids for over a century, but today’s demands for renewable energy, electric vehicles, and smarter grids are exposing their limits. Enter solid-state transformers—compact, efficient, and intelligent power solutions poised to revolutionize how electricity is distributed and managed. The push to modernize the grid is exposing critical shortcomings of a century-old workhorse—the transformer. Stemming from Michael Faraday’s groundbreaking discovery of electromagnetic induction in 1831, the first transformer systems built circa 1885 revolutionized electricity transfer, essentially by enabling the step-up of voltage for efficient long-distance transmission and subsequent step-down for safe local use. The past century has characteristically introduced more significant innovations, including the transition from single-phase to three-phase systems for higher efficiency and reduced costs in long-distance power transmission. Modern developments includ ... Read full article.