Schneider Electric Enhances AI Data Centre Operations

​​​​​​​Leading global energy management company Schneider Electric has introduced a series of advanced solutions aimed at meeting the escalating energy needs linked to AI infrastructures. This initiative is in partnership with premier chipmaker Nvidia, while simultaneously upholding its commitments towards global sustainability.

Jointly developed with Nvidia, the new data centre reference design presented by Schneider Electric is built to support liquid cooled, high-density AI clusters that can go up to 132 kilowatts (kW) per rack. These innovations are not only optimized for Nvidia's GB200 NVL72 and Blackwell chips but also offer a verified architecture to streamline the deployment of liquid cooling across large setups.

Furthermore, Schneider Electric has launched the Galaxy VXL uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which stands out as the most compact, high-density UPS developed for AI and data centre workloads, according to the company.

The introduction of these solutions is timely, and is crafted to address the swelling sustainability challenges confronting global data centre operators who are grappling with the rise in AI-driven workloads.

Strategic approaches in the AI age

The data centre industry faces a growing need for power while striving to adhere to environmental commitments. Sean Graham, Research Director of Cloud to Edge Datacenter Trends at IDC, estimates that by 2027, "data centre electricity consumption will represent 2.5% of global demand, with the rest distributed among other sectors like buildings, transport and energy." He highlights the pivotal role of data centres not only in achieving their net-zero ambitions but also in using AI to decarbonise the entire value chain across varying industries.

Schneider Electric and Nvidia's collaboration is deeply rooted in countering these challenges and helping data centre owners deploy energy-efficient, high-density infrastructures. "Building the future of accelerated computing and AI requires speed and a bedrock foundation," states Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s Founder and CEO. This cooperation enables customers to develop globally significant technological advancements on a reliable and resilient infrastructure. “Our work with Schneider Electric enables customers to design the world's technological advances on stable and resilient infrastructure,” he adds.

Leading sustainability efforts

As the AI sector's environmental impact surges, Schneider Electric's proactive strategy in deploying innovative solutions to decarbonise data centres is more critical than ever. The company’s recent initiatives underscore its dedication to assisting its customers in reducing their digital carbon footprint globally while focusing on impactful sustainability strategies.

Schneider supports enterprises in securing renewable energy solutions and optimises on-site power generation using diverse renewable sources like wind and solar. Moreover, their extensive suite includes data centre infrastructure components, AI-powered remote monitoring, and lifecycle optimisation digital services, ensuring a comprehensive approach to their clients' AI needs.

Through its Sustainability Consulting business, Schneider Electric enables its clients to surpass their decarbonisation targets by offering bespoke sustainability strategies, emissions assessments, and supplier engagement programmes. These are enhanced by the insights provided through EcoStruxure Resource Advisor, benefiting from the expertise of over 2,400 professionals across more than 100 countries.

To manage the heightened temperatures from high-density workloads, Schneider Electric has also moved to acquire a majority stake in Motivair Corporation, a move that notably expands their liquid cooling portfolio and supports their expertise in direct-to-chip liquid cooling solutions.

Addressing the AI energy challenge

Beyond individual product innovations, Schneider Electric champions a scientific method to ‘bend the curve’ of energy consumption aligned with the expansion of AI applications. This strategy includes the incorporation of 'energy intelligence for sustainable AI,' which integrates data centre infrastructure with AI functionalities.

Marc Garner, Senior Vice President, Secure Power Europe at Schneider Electric, explains: "We're learning every day in AI. So we're all learning at the same time. This allows our customers to have something that's a platform that's validated.

“We're talking with the chip manufacturers closely to make sure that we're able to give a fully validated reference design that allows us to be able to support the market and our customers and the data centre operators."

Jensen Huang states: “Together, we're creating AI data centres that are purpose-built for accelerated computing, supporting complex architectures that are essential to deliver digital intelligence to every company and industry.”

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