LONDON — The market for power semiconductor discretes and modules is expected to plummet this year by $2 billion, warns market research group IMS (Wellingborough, England).

Power MOSFETs and protected MOSFETs are projected to fare worst, each losing 20 per cent of revenues year on year.

The researchers suggest the overall power semiconductor market declined by 2 per cent in 2008, with power discrete revenues not expected to recover to 2007 levels until 2012.

The power discrete market is expected to drop by over $1.5 billion in 2009, with the automotive, computer and office, and consumer sectors accounting for nearly two-thirds of this, according to Josh Flood from IMS.

"The market, in particular the automotive and consumer segments, have yet to bottom out," Said Flood.

Meanwhile revenues for the power module segment are now forecast to fall by up to 10 per cent in 2009. Those from sales to industrial motor drives, UPS, and the consumer sector are all expected to fall by over 10 per cent.

However, Flood suggests power module revenues are expected to recover and exceed the 2008 value of $2.7bn in 2010.

Power module revenues to the renewable sector will retain the wind in their sails to almost double from 2008 to 2012.