Renesas secure SiC Wafer supply for 10 years from Wolfspeed

Renesas to get guaranteed supply of SiC wafers from Wolfspeed for 10 years. Both have signed an agreement where Renesas depositing $2 billion for secure supply of silicon carbide bare and epitaxial wafers from Wolfspeed. Renesas plan to scale production of silicon carbide power semiconductors starting in 2025. Hidetoshi Shibata, President and CEO of Renesas, and Gregg Lowe, President and CEO of Wolfspeed have signed agreement at Renesas Tokyo' office. Wolfspeed to provide Renesas with 150mm silicon carbide bare and epitaxial wafers scaling in CY2025. The agreement also anticipates supplying Renesas with 200mm silicon carbide bare and epitaxial wafers after the recently announced John Palmour Manufacturing Center for Silicon Carbide is fully operational. SiC power semiconductor growth is driven by demand in such components in electric vehicles (Evs) and renewable energy. Renesas is moving quickly to address the growing demand for power semiconductors by expanding its in-house manufacturing capacity. The company recently announced the restart of its Kofu Factory to produce IGBTs, and establishment of a silicon carbide production line at its Takasaki Factory. Compared to conventional silicon power semiconductors, silicon carbide devices enable higher energy efficiency, greater power density and a lower system cost. In an increasingly energy-conscious world, the adopt...