Infineon partners with SolarEdge on SST for AI data center power

SolarEdge Technologies and Infineon Technologies have joined forces in a groundbreaking collaboration to develop cutting-edge AI data center power technology based on a next-generation high-efficiency solid-state transformer (SST) platform. This innovative modular 2–5 MW system is designed to facilitate direct medium-voltage AC to 800–1500 V DC conversion with efficiencies exceeding 99%, specifically tailored to meet the power demands of the rapidly expanding AI and hyperscale data center sector.

This partnership signifies a notable shift towards DC-based, high-efficiency power architectures within data centers, a domain increasingly intertwined with advanced power electronics and semiconductor design, as observed by eeNews Europe readers.

Targeting high-efficiency DC infrastructure

The collaboration leverages SolarEdge’s proficiency in DC architecture and control topologies alongside Infineon’s state-of-the-art silicon carbide (SiC) power devices. The resultant SST promises to diminish conversion losses, size, and weight in comparison to traditional transformer-plus-rectifier systems, while also reducing the carbon footprint and streamlining deployment processes.

Moreover, the companies affirm that the forthcoming SST will facilitate direct conversion from medium-voltage grid input (ranging from 13.8 to 34.5 kV) to 800–1500 V DC distribution, aligning with the evolving rack-level DC bus standards in AI computing infrastructure.

Shuki Nir, CEO of SolarEdge, emphasized, “The AI revolution is reshaping power infrastructure. It is imperative that the data center industry adopts solutions that deliver heightened levels of efficiency and reliability. SolarEdge’s profound expertise in DC architecture uniquely positions us to spearhead this transformation. Collaborating with Infineon brings world-class semiconductor innovation to our endeavors to construct smarter, more efficient energy systems for the AI era.”

SiC technology drives conversion efficiency

For Infineon, this collaboration represents a strategic opportunity to expand its semiconductor presence in hyperscale applications, as data center operators seek solutions to manage escalating energy consumption, cooling demands, and grid pressure. Consequently, enhancing conversion efficiency becomes pivotal for controlling operational costs.

Andreas Urschitz, Chief Marketing Officer at Infineon Technologies, remarked, “Partnerships like this are pivotal in enabling the next generation of 800 Volt DC data center power systems and further advancing decarbonization efforts. With Infineon’s high-performance SiC technology complementing SolarEdge’s established capabilities in power management and system optimization, a robust foundation is laid for the efficient, scalable, and reliable infrastructure demanded by AI-driven data centers.”

Preparing for the next wave of AI compute growth

The escalating power requirements of AI training clusters and GPU-intensive server racks necessitate significantly more power per square meter compared to traditional cloud infrastructure setups. Consequently, operators are seeking streamlined power conversion pathways, reduced voltage-conversion stages, and architectures that minimize losses from grid feed to processor core.

By amalgamating distributed DC power systems with wide-bandgap semiconductors such as Si, SiC, and GaN, both SolarEdge and Infineon aim to provide scalable building blocks to accommodate the forthcoming growth of data centers. The collaborative efforts to advance the joint SST platform are currently underway, with details regarding deployment partners and commercialization timelines set to be disclosed at a later stage.