Schneider Electric has announced its ongoing commitment to supporting 800 volt direct current (800 VDC) infrastructure, targeting the needs of next-generation high-density rack architectures in modern data centers. The company reports that higher compute density is driving the industry to adopt this new voltage standard, as traditional 54 volt in-rack distribution systems cannot address the requirements of racks expected to operate at megawatt scale.
Schneider Electric states it is working with NVIDIA to develop an 800 VDC sidecar solution. This product is intended to power racks up to 1.2 megawatts to support emerging GPU technologies and future accelerated computing platforms. The sidecar converts alternating current (AC) supplied to the data center into 800 VDC, enabling delivery of megawatt-scale rack power. The company says this solution is designed for high efficiency, integrates modular power conversion shelves, offers modular energy storage for short term backup and load smoothing, and provides Live Swap capability for safe maintenance.
According to Schneider Electric, its approach goes beyond isolated components by integrating power conversion, intelligent metering, and protection mechanisms into a system-level solution. This strategy is aimed at achieving predictable performance, simplifying maintenance and scalability, and increasing operational efficiency, all of which are essential for supporting densified rack deployments with strict reliability requirements.
The company emphasizes its use of advanced modeling, simulation, and lab testing—including fault current and arc flash analysis—to validate its 800 VDC system designs. Certified testing environments and Live Swap features are highlighted as key elements for ensuring operational safety and resilience.
Schneider Electric underscores its alignment with NVIDIA and the growing shift toward scalable, next-generation architectures.
“Scalable power architectures are the foundation for next-generation AI infrastructure that maximizes both performance and efficiency,” said Dion Harris, Senior Director, HPC, Cloud, and AI Infrastructure Solutions GTM at NVIDIA. “NVIDIA and Schneider Electric are building on our longstanding partnership to design and deliver advanced power architectures for 800 VDC systems that will run AI applications that will shape the AI industrial revolution.”
Source: Schneider Electric
