How Are ABB and Nvidia Powering AI Data Centres?

ABB has entered into a collaboration with Nvidia to support the development of next-generation AI data centres.

The partnership will focus on creating advanced power distribution systems capable of supporting the high-density energy requirements of AI workloads at a gigawatt scale.

This move could address the escalating energy needs of global data centre capacity as it expands to facilitate the growth in AI.

The collaboration will assist Nvidia’s planned rollout of an 800 VDC power architecture for 1MW server racks, signifying a potential change from existing alternating current (AC) designs to direct current (DC) systems, which could offer greater efficiency and reduced energy loss.

To facilitate this, ABB will provide its expertise in medium-voltage (MV) uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, DC distribution and solid-state electronics.

These technologies are intended to be central to the 800 VDC architecture, ensuring reliable power delivery in future AI data centres.

Meeting AI’s power demands

Giampiero Frisio, President of ABB Electrification, says the partnership reflects ABB’s continued investment in next-generation data centre power technologies.

“ABB is leading the development of the key new power distribution technologies that will create the next generation of data centres,” he says.

“We have been an early investor in the cutting-edge UPS, DC and solid-state electronics that will enable data centres to stay ahead of AI’s growing power demands.

“This collaboration supporting the development of 800 VDC architectures for future data centres is one of the many ways we are engaging with the data centre community to serve the needs of this dynamic market.”

According to research from Dell’Oro Group, global data centre demand is projected to increase from 80GW in 2024 to around 220GW by 2030.

The associated capital expenditure is expected to exceed US$1tn.

AI workloads are forecast to be responsible for almost 70% of this growth, highlighting the need for innovation in power delivery.

Designing power systems for AI

The infrastructure platforms from Nvidia are testing the limits of energy density, which necessitates new approaches to power design.

“As AI demands continue to grow around the world, data centres require new approaches to power distribution that improve efficiency and simplify designs,” says Dion Harris, Senior Director, HPC, Cloud and AI Infrastructure at Nvidia.

“This collaboration supporting the development of 800 VDC architectures for future data centres is one of the many ways we are engaging with the data centre community to serve the needs of this dynamic market.”

Future power architectures for data centres are anticipated to integrate MV UPS systems with DC distribution that runs directly into server rooms supported by advanced solid-state power electronics.

This approach could allow operators to achieve higher efficiency, reduce conversion losses and improve the resilience of their critical infrastructure.

ABB’s current portfolio includes intelligent power distribution systems, backup power solutions and digital monitoring tools designed to optimise performance for data centre operators.

Approximately 40% of ABB’s research in electrification is focused on technologies for next-generation data centres, including electrical protection DC systems and energy-efficient cooling.

Innovation for sustainable infrastructure

Among ABB’s innovations is HiPerGuard, a solid-state medium-voltage UPS.

HiPerGuard is designed to support AI and hyperscale facilities by increasing power density and energy efficiency while minimising its physical footprint.

ABB has also developed SACE Infinitus, the world’s first IEC-certified solid-state circuit breaker, which provides the speed and control needed to make DC power distribution viable in large-scale data centres.

These technologies are part of a wider effort by ABB to establish the foundations for sustainable digital infrastructure that can handle future growth in AI and high-performance computing.

By combining ABB’s experience in high-efficiency power systems with Nvidia’s work in AI and computing, ABB and Nvidia aim to accelerate the development of future-ready gigawatt-scale data centres that can meet both performance targets and sustainability objectives.