Infineon Technologies has unveiled a new 800-volt direct current (VDC) power architecture designed to improve efficiency and serviceability in artificial intelligence data centres, as the German chipmaker deepens its collaboration with NVIDIA.
The move supports NVIDIA’s push, announced at Computex earlier this year, to replace the ageing 54V infrastructure that has underpinned most data centres for years. The new 800V system promises to reduce power losses and bolster reliability as AI workloads drive exponential increases in electricity demand.
“There is no AI without power,” said Adam White, President of Infineon’s Power & Sensor Systems division. “By driving the transformation towards high-density, reliable and safe 800-volt powered data centres, we are revolutionising how power is delivered to AI server racks. It’s our vision to maximise the value of every watt.”
The shift to higher-voltage architectures comes as the cost and complexity of AI computing escalate sharply. A single AI server can cost up to 30 times more than a traditional one, and power requirements for racks are expected to rise from 120 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts, reaching 1 megawatt by the end of the decade.
To address the challenge, Infineon has developed a hot-swap controller that allows server boards to be replaced safely while the rack remains powered. The technology, based on silicon carbide (SiC), manages the pre-charging and discharging of components on an 800V bus, reducing downtime and maintenance risks.
The company is also combining silicon carbide, gallium nitride (GaN) and traditional silicon technologies to deliver higher efficiency in power conversion. Its Intermediate Bus Converter (IBC) and high-frequency switching solutions target conversion efficiencies of up to 98% per stage, according to Infineon.
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