ABB launches 800 VDC source-to-rack DC power portfolio for AI data centers

ABB has introduced Infinitus, a direct current portfolio for AI data centers that spans “source-to-rack” power delivery and is designed to support both DC-native and hybrid AC/DC architectures. The company is targeting rising rack power and the conversion-loss penalties of conventional AC chains with an 800 VDC distribution approach intended to improve energy efficiency and shrink power infrastructure footprint.

Infinitus centers on ABB’s Infinitus solid-state transformer technology, which the company says enables a smaller footprint and higher energy efficiency at the site level. ABB also points to having “the world’s first fully IEC-certified solid-state circuit breaker” and a “static medium-voltage UPS” in production as part of the broader technology base behind the portfolio.

What’s in the Infinitus DC portfolio

ABB describes five building blocks in the Infinitus DC portfolio:

Medium Voltage Powertrains to deliver stable power from the grid or on-site generation; DC Sources and Power Quality to convert AC to DC and move conversion out of the white space; DC Power Distribution to deliver power safely and reliably with higher power density in a smaller footprint; DC Power Protection to protect operators and IT hardware from DC overcurrents; and Cooling Optimization using DC-connected variable speed drives and motors to reduce energy consumption across grey and white space.

ABB says it will design systems tailored to a site’s power demands, facility layout, and energy mix.

Why 800 VDC, and why now

The core engineering argument for 800 VDC distribution is straightforward: higher-voltage DC can reduce current for a given power level, which can cut I²R losses and enable smaller conductors and distribution hardware. ABB is also pitching the reduction of conversion stages versus AC architectures as a way to reduce heat losses and free up physical space for compute.

ABB cites a BCG/ABB report that calculated DC distribution can deliver energy efficiency gains of more than 5% and increase available space for compute racks. The company also ties Infinitus to the trajectory of AI infrastructure power density, stating that next-generation AI chips are expected to draw 1 MW per rack and beyond, compared with “today’s almost 200 kW.”

Giampiero Frisio, President of ABB’s Electrification business area, said, “Infinitus is the first portfolio providing the building blocks for any data center architecture—either DC native or hybrid AC / DC—to power next-generation AI chips efficiently.”

ABB expects “a number of main components” to be produced in the next 12 months, and says the first DC-native facilities using the complete Infinitus portfolio are expected to be installed and operational within two to three years. ABB also links the portfolio to its ongoing work with NVIDIA on 800 VDC power architectures for gigawatt-scale AI facilities.