Has China cracked the AI data center power problem? New 800-volt DC power system is a 'world first,' offering greater efficiency and conversion than ever
China's Envision has deployed an 800V DC power system at Galaxy AI campus, promising improved efficiency, battery support and reduced infrastructure requirements.
China has officially deployed its initial commercial 800-volt direct-current power system for data centers, marking a first in the industry. Envision, the company behind the technology, converted 10-kilovolt grid electricity directly into the 800-volt DC supply at an AI facility in Inner Mongolia's Galaxy AI campus. This architecture, combining solid-state transformers with battery storage, aims to provide greater efficiency and reduced conversion losses compared to conventional methods.
The 800V DC power system eliminates multiple conversion stages, enhancing electrical efficiency and reducing equipment space requirements in data centers. It also employs an 800-volt distribution network, requiring less copper for cabling and potentially lowering material needs as computing installations expand.
Envision's system integrates battery storage to swiftly respond to fluctuating processor demands and supply temporary backup power during unexpected interruptions. The controller coordinates the transformer and batteries within milliseconds to manage sudden changes in electricity consumption from GPUs, which is crucial given the volatile nature of AI workloads.
The company believes the architecture allows for higher-density server racks, enabling operators to install more computing capacity within limited floor space. Envision's Galaxy facility, which is expected to grow to 3 gigawatts, has the potential to support one million AI accelerators. Moreover, the company plans to introduce the technology through the Mission Gobi initiative, aiming to provide 5 gigawatts of renewable-powered computing capacity by 2030 in desert locations.
While Envision has not disclosed publicly available performance figures, the company asserts that its system can accommodate higher-density server racks and efficiently handle large computing developments. However, independent verification of the efficiency improvements, installation costs, and savings compared to conventional power systems remains lacking.
The deployment represents a significant commercial milestone for Envision, although the extent of its claimed operational advantages awaits further independent evidence.
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