The need to improve the energy efficency of electrical devices and systems – and the technologies that allow this need to met – are emerging as an increasingly important driver of growth in the sales of electronic components, modules and systems. The trend toward lower energy consumption or reducing losses in power distribution is becoming a central theme for almost all of the industries we serve. Many products and solutions from EPCOS help to protect the environment and enable consumers to reduce their energy costs. We are using the growth opportunities offered by the environmental awareness that is on the rise globally. More than 25 percent of EPCOS’ sales are achieved with products that directly or indirectly improve energy efficiency.

• Piezo injection systems make a major contribution toward saving fuel and protecting the environment from harmful emissions. Piezo actuators from EPCOS are the key components in these systems.

• With the help of variable-speed drives powerful pumps, fans and conveyor belts in factories and mass transit rail systems can reduce their energy consumption. These drives are controlled by frequency converters in which aluminum electrolytic capacitors and power capacitors are indispensable.

• Manufacturing equipment in industrial operations requires large amounts of what is known as reactive power, which utilities must deliver over the power grid. Capacitors, thyristor modules and special chokes from EPCOS play a significant part in minimizing the loss of energy in transit from the utility to the electrical load.

• Even when they are switched to stand-by mode, electronic devices still consume energy. The ferrite cores in the power supply units are one reason why such equipment continues to be so energy-hungry even in an idle state. However, our new ferrite materials N51 and N95 help to reduce energy losses in stand-by mode and at partial load.

• Energy-saving lamps are another way to slash power consumption. They use up to 80 percent less energy than conventional light bulbs. Around 20 different EPCOS products are used in electronic ballasts, including a large number of transformers and chokes.

Power factor correction: Strong partners in steel

Rolling mills for the production of steel require huge amounts of energy to shape the hot metal into sheets, bars and other profiles.  more

Power factor correction for buildings: Power quality improved
For greater energy efficiency, Hong Kong’s government administration relies on dynamic power factor correction (PFC) from EPCOS.  more

Dynamic power factor correction in wind power plants: Fast reaction

EPCOS portfolio features all key components for dynamic power factor correction (PFC) systems. Wind power plants, in particular, become more efficient through the application of such systems, which feature fast reaction times and minimum maintenance requirements.  more

Dynamic power factor correction: Power quality at the docks

China’s largest shipyard relies on EPCOS products for dynamic power factor correction. They allow energy quality and costs to be significantly improved.  more

Dynamic power factor correction: Thyristor modules for industrial networks

The range of TSM series of thyristor modules has been expanded to include the TSM-HV50 and TSM-LC200 types. The TSM-HV50 was developed especially for industrial networks rated 690 V and is designed for capacitive loads of up to 50 kvar.  more

Power capacitors for wind generators: Assuring a long life

Capacitors in wind generators are exposed to significantly harsher conditions than those in industrial power factor correction (PFC) systems due to the higher packing densities and strong load fluctuations prevailing in these plants.  more

HomeCap for residential PFC: Power factor correction in Peru

An application developed by Peruvian electricity distributor Edelnor shows that correcting the power factor at the household level benefits utilities and users alike.  more

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors: Ultra-compact solution

With the new snap-in aluminum electrolytic capacitors of the B43305 and B43508 series EPCOS offers components with significant space savings compared with conventional solutions.  more

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors: More current handling capacity with the same volume

EPCOS has developed the new B43540 snap-in aluminum electrolytic capacitor specifically for link-circuit applications in frequency converters.  more

Power capacitors: Compact power capacitor chip for IGBT modules

A new Power Capacitor Chip (PCC ) has been developed with a busbar that fits the IGBT modules of all well-known suppliers.  more

Power capacitors: Link circuit capacitors in dry technology for high-voltage DC transmission systems

EPCOS has developed a new power capacitor design in dry technology for the link circuits of high-voltage DC (HVDC) transmission systems.  more

Power capacitors: Space-saving link-circuit capacitors

EPCOS has designed the Power Capacitor Chip (PCC) for link-circuit applications in industrial, automotive and medical electronics. A special feature of these capacitors is their volume fill factor of nearly 1.  more

Ferrite material N95: High efficiencies even at partial loads

EPCOS has developed a new power ferrite material with an exceptionally low power loss. N95 offers a constant loss minimum of 315 kW/m³ over a broad temperature range of between 60 and 100 °C.  more

Ferrite material N51 for switch-mode power supplies: Recipe against energy thieves

Even when they are switched to stand-by mode, electronic devices still consume energy. In Germany alone more than 20 billion kWh are lost each year in this mode – a figure that corresponds to roughly one and a half times the energy a large city like Berlin needs for a whole year.  more

Cool savings
New motor capacitors of the MotorCap P2 Compact series and optimized motor-start PTC thermistors enhance the energy efficiency of refrigerator compressors.  more

Energy efficiency in the kitchen

Induction cookers are extremely energy efficient. EPCOS supplies a full range of components, including film capacitors, chokes, transformers, thermistors and varistors.
Induction cookers are the true king among cookers. Their high efficiency, increasingly important in times of rapidly rising energy costs, greatly distinguishes them from their conventional counterparts.  more

Ready-to copy solutions reduce development costs: Good references

A typical example for a successful reference design is the circuit of an electronic ballast for fluorescent lamps that was produced in cooperation by Infineon and EPCOS.  more