FEATURE centres, and how this will impact the challenges in the grid.
Why is traditional power architecture reaching its limits
Most data centres operating today were designed for significantly lower power densities, with traditional AC and low-voltage DC architectures supporting workloads required less energy per rack.
As AI-driven rack densities continues to rise, constraints are becoming increasingly evident. Power distribution units, cabling and cooling systems occupy valuable space within the rack, reducing the capacity available for computing. Increased current demand leads to higher heat generation, adding further pressure on cooling systems and infrastructure design to support the high-density application.
For this level of growth, a different approach is required for moving power conversion equipment outside of the IT rack to create the additional space needed for compute. Increasing the voltage of power distribution reduces current, enabling smaller cables, lower heat output and more efficient use of space.
An industry shift toward 800 VDC design
The move toward 800 VDC reflects a broad alignment across the data centre ecosystem. Technology leaders including NVIDIA, Google and
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