November 13, 2025 – The PowerAmerica Institute, a leading member of the Manufacturing USA network based at North Carolina State University, has officially opened its 2025 Request for Proposals (RFP). This initiative aims to fast-track the development and market adoption of wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor technologies across the United States.
With backing from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office, the program seeks to address key challenges in WBG semiconductor production and application. The primary goals include enhancing device performance, lowering manufacturing costs, and speeding up the transition of these advanced technologies from the lab to the marketplace.
Expanding the Scope of WBG Technology Development
The 2025 RFP is structured around three core areas to ensure comprehensive advancement in the field:
Manufacturing Innovation: This stream focuses on refining the production of WBG materials, developing specialized tools, and improving the fabrication of devices and modules. Projects may target increasing yield, enhancing material quality, or scaling up production processes to make WBG components more accessible and affordable.
Applications and System Integration: Here, the emphasis is on demonstrating how WBG semiconductors can be implemented in real-world systems. This could include their use in electric vehicles, renewable energy inverters, industrial motor drives, or data center power supplies. Successful projects will showcase tangible improvements in efficiency, power density, and reliability over traditional silicon-based solutions.
Education and Workforce Development: Recognizing the need for a skilled talent pool, this area supports the creation of new academic curricula, specialized training programs for technicians and engineers, and hands-on research opportunities. The objective is to build a robust pipeline of professionals equipped with the expertise to drive the WBG industry forward.
A Collaborative Path to Commercialization
A key strength of this initiative is its emphasis on partnership. PowerAmerica encourages collaborative proposals that bring together industry leaders, academic researchers, and national laboratories. This synergistic approach is designed to bridge the gap between foundational research and commercial deployment, ensuring that innovative ideas can evolve into viable products that strengthen U.S. competitiveness in the global semiconductor market.
Funding and Application Process
The institute has outlined a clear, two-stage application procedure:
Concept Papers: Submission of a concept paper is mandatory. The deadline for this initial step is December 12, 2025.
Full Proposals: Only applicants who receive an "Encouraged" response to their concept paper will be invited to submit a full proposal by February 13, 2026.
Awarded projects will receive substantial support, with funding of up to $1 million for industry-led efforts and $230,000 for university-led research. A minimum 1:1 cost share is required, demonstrating a strong commitment from the participating organizations.
Why This Matters for the Future of Technology
Wide bandgap semiconductors, such as those made from silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), are pivotal for the next generation of electronics. They operate more efficiently at higher temperatures, frequencies, and voltages than traditional silicon, enabling smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient devices. By investing in these core areas, the PowerAmerica Institute's 2025 RFP is not just funding research-it is actively building the infrastructure, knowledge, and workforce necessary to secure America's leadership in the critical field of advanced power electronics.