Man wins $1.6 million for 'hidden' invention from the 1980s
Most people have never heard of the IGBT, but it's quietly had a big impact on the planet.
A man has been awarded a one million Euro (AU$1.65 million) prize for a little-known invention he developed in the 1980s. Although its creator describes the device as “hidden from the eyes of society” it’s used by millions of people around the world because it helps save on electricity and petrol usage.
Professor Bantval Jayant Baliga was handed the 2024 Millennium Technology Prize for inventing the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT). It’s been described as “the most important semi-conductor device” for making engines more efficient and reducing pollution in the last 40 years.
The tiny plastic-coated device regulates the flow of electricity in high-voltage devices, allowing more efficient precise, digital control of power. It is hidden inside most electric motors including consumer products like air conditioners and refrigerators, some light globes, all wind and solar installations, and electric and hybrid cars.
How much pollution has IGBT prevented from entering the atmosphere?
Baliga is credited with having the most negative carbon footprint in the world. His IGBT is estimated to have reduced global emissions of the greenhouse gas by more than 82 gigatons since the 1990s — roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide generated by all human activity for three years.
“It is very exciting to have been selected for this great honour. I am particularly happy that the Millennium Technology Prize will bring attention to my innovation, as the IGBT is an embedded technology that is hidden from the eyes of society,” Baliga, a professor at North Carolina State University, said after his win in Helsinki.
Why is the IGBT so important to our future?
The Millennium Technology Prize is awarded to technological innovations that help create better lives for people around the world, including helping biodiversity and sustainability. It’s overseen by the Technology Academy in Finland and has been awarded since 2004.
The Academy’s chair of the board, Professor Minna Palmrot, said the IGBT has supported sustainability and improved living standards since its invention.
“The main solution to tackle global warming is electrification and moving to renewable energy. The IGBT is the key enabling technology in addressing these issues,” she said.
“I am particularly happy that the prize illuminates an innovation that is at the same time absolutely critical, has an enormous impact, but is not known to the vast majority of people. I think it is a great way to emphasise the power of science and innovation”.
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.
