The Traditional Data Center Power Chain
Traditional data center power distribution follows a well-established pattern with 5-6 conversion stages and total efficiency of 75-85% from grid to chip.
Key Architectural Shifts
- From 12V to 48V server power
- From AC to DC distribution
- From UPS to battery-on-bus
800V HVDC Reference Architecture
- Grid Connection: MV feed (10-35 kV)
- SST/Rectifier: MV AC to 800V DC
- 800V DC Bus: Distribution via busways
- Battery Energy Storage: Directly on DC bus
- Rack DC-DC: 800V to 48V
Conclusion
We expect 800V HVDC to become the dominant architecture for new AI data center builds within the next 3-5 years.