Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today reinforced its commitment to supporting the industry’s transition to 800 VDC power architectures, which are a critical requirement for emerging high-density rack systems being adopted across next-generation data centers.
As the industry accelerates toward higher power densities and greater efficiency, Schneider Electric is actively innovating to meet these needs through a comprehensive, system-level approach that integrates power conversion, protection, and metering. This approach ensures that power systems are not only efficient but safe, resilient, and ready to scale.
“The move to 800 VDC is a natural evolution as compute density increases, and Schneider Electric is committed to helping customers make that transition safely and reliably,” said Jim Simonelli, CTO, Data Centers, Schneider Electric. “Our expertise lies in understanding the full power ecosystem, from grid to server, and designing solutions that integrate seamlessly, perform predictably, and operate safely.”
New Sidecar Supported by System-Level Approach to Power Innovation
The traditional 54 volt in-rack power distribution in use in today’s data centers is designed for kilowatt-scale racks and can’t support the megawatt-scale racks coming soon to modern AI factories, making scalable 800 VDC distribution systems with integrated energy storage essential.
Schneider Electric is collaborating with NVIDIA to develop an 800 VDC sidecar capable of powering racks of up to 1.2 MW to support next generation NVIDIA GPUs and future iterations of NVIDIA accelerated computing infrastructure.
The sidecar converts AC power coming into the data center into 800 VDC, enabling delivery of megawatt-scale rack power safely, efficiently, and with minimal material and infrastructure costs. Additionally, Schneider Electric’s sidecar:
- Delivers industry-leading efficiency
- Features modular power conversion shelves
- Is equipped with modular energy storage for short term backup and load smoothing
- Is Live Swap capable for enhanced safety
The sidecar is backed by Schneider Electric’s signature system-level approach to power innovation.
Rather than focusing solely on individual components, Schneider Electric takes a holistic view of power infrastructure. By designing and optimizing systems as a whole — including conversion technologies, intelligent metering, and integrated protection mechanisms — Schneider Electric helps customers achieve:
- Predictable, validated performance
- Simplified maintenance and scalability
- Higher operational efficiency
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