This paper reviews some of the key challenges in developing solid-state electronics operating at power levels from approximately 0.1 to beyond 1 MW. Applications exist in this range of power for military and commercial applications alike. The technology of great interest is wide-band-gap semiconductors. particularly SC, which is well known for its superior electrical strength and thermal conductivity compared to the traditional power semiconductor, Si. These properties can be utilized to have significant benefits at both the device and systems level. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.