Silicon Ranch is taking precautions to secure high-voltage transformers in advance at their solar facility in Georgia due to the growing demand and increased wait times for these critical components. The global transformer shortage is causing delays in renewable-energy projects worldwide, with some areas experiencing wait times of up to four years. This shortage is pushing power engineers to innovate new designs with different materials and capabilities. Transforming the long-standing transformer design, engineers are exploring solid-state transformers and flexible LPTs to improve efficiency and reliability in the power grid. This scarcity is presenting challenges to the energy industry but also driving potential breakthroughs in transformer technology for the future.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/transformer-shortage