Worldwide embedded ac-dc power supply revenue is projected to increase by an average of 5.9 percent per year over 2004 to 2009, starting from a base of $9.4 billion, as against external ac-dc power supply market projected to rise at a growth rate of 8.8 percent, from $5.023 billion in 2005 to $7.656 billion in 2010 (figures from Darnell).
Changes are coming over the power supply industry, with new application trends and technological innovations driving these changes. The computer segment is the primary driver of the ac-dc power supply market. Embedded power supplies for computer peripherals are set to decline in revenue with peripherals market falling, and all-in-one peripherals reducing the numberof power supplies needed. But blade severs will boost demand. An individual blade server needs more power supplies than enterprise servers. Blade serverswill constitute 20 percent of server market in 2006, growing to 27 percent in 2007. IBM’s and Intel’s attempts to standardize blade servers will further advance their adoption.
The rise of the notebook PCs, the building up demand for STBs leading to CATV growth, and the rapid growth of the wireless market in China and India will all contribute to growth of embedded power supplies. Intel’s new Balanced Technology Extended (BTX) form factor will also increase their demand. The BTX form factor is largely incompatible with the ATX form factor, but the only area where this does not fully apply is in power supply support. One can use ATX power supplies with BTX motherboards.
Energy efficiency programs and lead-free programs, which have support from many governments, are other impetus to the growth of embeddedpower supplies.
Power-over-Ethernet is an exciting change in the power supply market. PoE has yet to take off in a big way, but the communications industry is gearing itself for it, which will provide new opportunities to embedded power supplies.
The articles in this supplement discuss some important technological issues that impact this industry.
