Infineon and Eaton have partnered to deploy silicon-carbide solid-state transformers supporting 800VDC power architectures in data centre infrastructure.
German semiconductor manufacturer Infineon Technologies will supply Eaton with silicon carbide (SiC) power devices for its medium-voltage solid-state transformer (MVSST) 2.0 platform. The collaboration targets 800VDC data center power distribution architectures, aiming to increase the efficiency and reliability of power conversion for connecting AI data centers to the electrical grid.
Traditional data center power systems convert alternating current (AC) from the grid through multiple conversion stages, ultimately delivering direct current (DC) to servers and components. This sequential process incurs losses at each step. As 1MW racks become commonplace, data center operators must transition from AC to DC power distribution. The 800VDC standard has emerged as the distribution class suited for powering high-density AI racks.
Solid-state transformers address this challenge by integrating diverse power sources and loads while making the conversion process more efficient. Eaton's MVSST 2.0 platform reduces conversion stages compared to conventional architectures, delivering improved efficiency, power density, and deployment flexibility. The integration of SiC devices will further enhance the platform's efficiency.
Silicon carbide is a synthetically produced crystalline compound of silicon and carbon. It offers significant advantages over conventional silicon for power applications: superior thermal conductivity, higher switching speeds, and lower dissipation, making it particularly suitable for high-voltage power devices.
"As energy demand from AI data centers and industrial applications continues to grow, the demand for efficient, reliable, and sustainable power conversion is increasing," said Andreas Weisl, EVP and chief sales officer of industrial & infrastructure at Infineon. "By joining forces with Eaton, we aim to advance solid-state transformer technology and contribute to the development of a more scalable, efficient and sustainable infrastructure for powering the AI data centers of the future."
David Zheng, VP of R&D for power quality in APAC at Eaton, added: "Against the backdrop of rapidly increasing requirements for power efficiency, system reliability and scalability in AI data centers, our goal is to advance the development and adoption of SST technology. Thus, we aim to create greater value for data center and power grid operators as well as the renewable energy sector. Infineon's advanced SiC technology is helping us accelerate the deployment of these next-generation power architectures."
The partners plan to explore next-generation solid-state transformer platforms based on 2.3kV and 3.3kV SiC power modules to support higher system voltages, improving efficiency and reliability in forthcoming AI data centers, grid modernization, and renewable energy applications.