How datacenter power architectures are changing

Investing.com -- Datacenter power distribution is undergoing a dramatic transformation as operators shift away from traditional 12V DC architectures toward higher-voltage solutions designed to boost efficiency and cut material use, according to Barclays.

Barclays hosted Bob Carroll, the former Infineon R&D executive, who explained that the industry first moved to 48V to support higher currents without extra copper but is now looking at 800V architectures, such as Nvidia’s upcoming Kyber rack design.

“Moving to 800V offers even greater efficiency, lower distribution losses and less copper in the backplane,” Carroll said.

The change is said to be enabled by advances in semiconductors like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN).

Carroll argued that “the closer the conversion step is to the processor, the higher the current and the greater the power semi content,” highlighting silicon in low-voltage stages, GaN in mid-voltage, and SiC at the high end.

Even with rising efficiency, he does not expect semiconductor content to decline because “power requirements [are] outpacing efficiency gains.”

Barclays noted that the traditional power supply unit model is being phased out in favor of bulk rectifiers that could convert AC mains directly to DC, potentially eliminating rack-mounted PSUs.

Carroll reportedly stated that this shift creates risks for PSU makers but opens opportunities for new semiconductor solutions.

Reliability is seen as a key challenge, particularly for GaN. “If a single component fails, entire GPU cards may need to be replaced,” Carroll warned, noting that GaN’s defect density remains a concern in mission-critical datacenter settings.

Barclays highlighted Infineon as “well placed for the AI datacentre power opportunity,” citing its vertically integrated portfolio and systems approach. STMicro also has relevant products but faces pressure to move quickly to secure share.

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