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In Edison’s Revenge, Data Centers Are Transitioning From AC to DC
800 Volt DC power delivery will enable next-gen AI data centers Drew Robb10h3 min readDrew Robb is a freelance writer specializing in engineering and IT.Future NVIDIA high compute density racks that will use 800 Volts DC power distribution.
NVIDIA
Last week’s Nvidia GTC conference highlighted new chip architectures to power AI. But as the chips become faster and more powerful, the remainder of data center infrastructure is playing catchup. The power delivery community is responding: Announcements from Delta, Vertiv, and Eaton showcased new designs for the AI era. Complex and inefficient AC to DC power conversions are gradually being replaced by DC configurations, at least in hyperscale data centers.“While AC distribution remains deeply entrenched, advances in power electronics and the rising demands of AI infrastructure are accelerating interest in DC architectures,” says Chris Thompson, vice president of advanced technology and global microgrids at Vertiv.AC to DC Conversion ChallengesToday, nearly all data centers are designed around AC utility power. The electrical path includes multiple conversions before power reaches the compute load. Power typically enters the data center as medium-voltage AC (1kV to 35kV), is stepped down to low-voltage AC (480V or 415V) using a transformer, converted to DC inside an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for battery storage, converted back to AC, and converted again to low-voltage DC (typically 54 V DC) at the server, supplying the DC power computing chips actually require.“The double conversion process ensures the output AC is clean, stable and suitable for data center servers,” says Luiz Fernando Huet de Bacellar, vice president of engineering and technology at Eaton.That setup worked well enough for the amounts of power required by traditional data centers. Traditional data center computational racks draw on the order of 10 kW each. For AI, that is starting to approach 1 MW. At that scale, the energy losses, current levels, and copper requirements of AC to DC conversions become increasingly difficult to justify. Every conversion incurs some power loss. On top of that, as the amount of power that needs to be delivered grows, the sheer size of the convertors, as well as the connector requirements of copper busbars, becomes untenable. According to an Nvidia blog, a 1 MW rack could require as much as 200 kg of copper busbar. For a 1 GW data center, it could amount to 200,000 kg of copper. Benefits of High-Voltage DC PowerBy converting 13.8 kV AC grid power directly to 800 VDC at the data center perimeter, most intermediate conversion steps are eliminated. This reduces the number of fans and power supply units, and leads to higher system reliability, lower heat dissipation, improved energy efficiency, and a smaller equipment footprint.“Each power conversion between the electric grid or power source and the silicon chips inside the servers causes some energy loss,” says Fernando.Switching from 415 V AC to 800 V DC in electrical distribution enables 85 percent more power to be transmitted through the same conductor size. This happens because higher voltage reduces current demand, lowering resistive losses and making power transfer more efficient. Thinner conductors can handle the same load, reducing copper requirements by 45 percent, a 5 percent improvement in efficiency, and 30 percent lower total cost of ownership for GW-scale facilities.“In a high-voltage DC architecture, power from the grid is converted from medium-voltage AC to roughly 800 V DC and then distributed throughout the facility on a DC bus,” said Vertiv’s Thompson. “At the rack, compact DC-DC converters step that voltage down for GPUs and CPUs.”A report from technology advisory group Omdia claims that higher voltage DC data centers have already appeared in China. In the Americas, the Mt. Diablo Initiative (a collaboration among Meta, Microsoft, and the Open Compute Project) is a 400 V DC rack power distribution experiment.Innovations in DC Power SystemsA handful of vendors are trying to get ahead of the game. Vertiv’s 800 V DC ecosystem that integrate with NVIDIA Vera Rubin Ultra Kyber platforms will be commercially available in the second half of 2026. Eaton, too, is well advanced in its 800 V DC systems innovation courtesy of a medium-voltage solid-state transformer (SST) that will sit at the heart of DC power distribution system. Meanwhile Delta, has released 800 V DC in-row 660kW power racks with a total of 480 kW of embedded battery backup units. And, SolarEdge is hard at work on a 99%-efficient SST that will be paired with a native DC UPS and a DC power distribution layer.But much of the industry is far behind. Patrick Hughes, senior vice president of strategy, technical, and industry affairs for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, says most innovation is happening at the 400 V DC level, though some are preparing 800 V DC. He believes the industry needs a complete, coordinated ecosystem, including power electronics, protection, connectors, sensing, and service‑safe components that scale together rather than in isolation. That, in turn, requires retooling manufacturing capacity for DC‑specific equipment, expanding semiconductor and materials supply, and clear, long‑term demand commitments that justify major capital investment across the value chain.“Many are taking a cautious approach, offering limited or adapted solutions while waiting for clearer standards, safety frameworks, and customer commitments,” said Hughes. “Building the supply chain will hinge on stabilizing standards and safety frameworks so suppliers can design, certify, manufacture, and install equipment with confidence.”From Your Site ArticlesNext-Gen AI Needs Liquid Cooling ›AI Data Centers Demand More Than Copper Can Deliver ›Related Articles Around the WebData Center Coalition ›What Is a Direct Current Data Center? | Data Center Glossary | Sunbird DCIM ›data centerspower electronicsaiDrew RobbDrew Robb has been a full-time freelance writer for more than 25 years specializing in IT and engineering. 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The data center industry is undergoing a significant shift, driven by the escalating demands of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. As AI workloads increase, the traditional AC-to-DC conversion process, which involves multiple steps and inherent energy losses, is becoming increasingly inefficient. Chris Thompson of Vertiv highlights this trend, noting a move away from AC architectures toward DC configurations, spurred by advancements in power electronics and the rising requirements of AI. The core challenge lies in the double conversion process – converting AC to DC for UPS battery storage and then back to AC for servers – which creates substantial energy losses. This process, particularly at scales of 1 MW per rack, leads to large copper requirements and increased equipment size, significantly impacting the total cost of ownership. NVIDIA’s research underscores the magnitude of this issue, estimating that a 1 MW rack could necessitate up to 200 kg of copper busbar.

Several companies, including Delta, Eaton, and Vertiv, are responding with innovative 800 V DC power delivery systems. The key benefit of this shift is a dramatic increase in power transmission efficiency. Switching to 800 V DC allows for 85% more power to be transmitted through the same conductor size by reducing current levels and resistive losses. This translates to a 45% reduction in copper requirements and a 5% improvement in energy efficiency, directly impacting operational costs, especially in large-scale data centers. The Mt. Diablo Initiative, a collaboration between Meta, Microsoft, and the Open Compute Project, is exploring 400 V DC rack power distribution, while other regions, such as China, are already deploying higher-voltage DC architectures.

Vendors are actively developing comprehensive 800 V DC ecosystems. Vertiv’s ecosystem, integrated with NVIDIA Vera Rubin Ultra Kyber platforms, is slated for commercial availability in the second half of 2026. Eaton is progressing with its 800 V DC systems through a medium-voltage solid-state transformer (SST), and Delta has released 800 V DC in-row 660kW power racks with embedded battery backup. Furthermore, SolarEdge is focused on a 99% efficient SST designed to pair with native DC UPS and a DC power distribution layer. However, Patrick Hughes of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association emphasizes the need for a cohesive ecosystem, encompassing power electronics, protection, connectors, sensing, and service-safe components, requiring coordinated investment across the value chain. This ecosystem development hinges on establishing standardized safety frameworks and stabilizing demand commitments, representing a significant hurdle for widespread implementation. The industry’s transition to 800 V DC power delivery signifies a critical step toward optimizing data center infrastructure for the demanding requirements of AI computing, promising enhanced efficiency and reduced operational costs.