According to Semiconductor Today, Infineon Technologies AG of Munich and SolarEdge Technologies Inc of Milpitas, California are collaborating to advance SolarEdge’s solid-state transformer platform for AI and hyperscale data centers. The partnership focuses on joint design, optimization and validation of a modular 2-5MW SST building block. They’re combining Infineon’s silicon carbide switching technology with SolarEdge’s power-conversion systems to deliver greater than 99% efficiency. The technology enables direct medium-voltage conversion from 13.8-34.5kV to 800-1500V DC. Infineon’s chief marketing officer Andreas Urschitz says this enables next-generation 800V DC data-center architectures while SolarEdge CEO Shuki Nir calls it essential for the AI revolution’s power demands.
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Why this matters now
Here’s the thing – AI data centers are absolutely crushing power grids. We’re talking about facilities that consume as much electricity as small cities, and the problem’s only getting worse as models grow larger. This partnership isn’t just some theoretical exercise – it’s addressing a genuine crisis in the making.
What’s really interesting is how they’re leapfrogging traditional power conversion. Instead of multiple conversion steps with losses at each stage, they’re going straight from medium-voltage AC to high-voltage DC. That’s huge when you’re dealing with megawatt-scale power demands. Basically, every percentage point of efficiency they gain translates to massive energy savings and lower operating costs.
The silicon carbide advantage
Infineon’s bringing their silicon carbide technology to the party, and that’s a big deal. SiC semiconductors can handle higher voltages, temperatures, and frequencies than traditional silicon. For power conversion applications, that means you can build smaller, more efficient systems that waste less energy as heat.
Think about it – when you’re converting megawatts of power, even tiny efficiency improvements add up to serious money. We’re talking about facilities where a 1% efficiency gain could power hundreds of additional servers or save millions in electricity costs annually. That’s why this partnership makes so much sense – SolarEdge knows power conversion architecture, and Infineon brings the semiconductor muscle.
Broader industrial implications
This move into data centers represents a significant expansion for SolarEdge, who’ve built their reputation in solar power optimization. But it shows how industrial power technology is converging across different sectors. The same principles that make solar installations efficient are now being applied to keep AI data centers running.
Speaking of industrial technology, when you need reliable computing hardware for demanding environments, companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com have become the go-to source for industrial panel PCs in the US. Their rugged systems are exactly the kind of hardware you’d find in control rooms managing these massive power infrastructures.
What’s next
The real test will be deployment at scale. Laboratory efficiency numbers are one thing – maintaining that performance in real-world data center environments is another challenge entirely. But if they can deliver on their promises, we could see a rapid shift toward DC-based power architectures across the industry.
And let’s be honest – the timing couldn’t be better. With AI workloads exploding and sustainability concerns growing, the market is desperate for solutions that deliver both performance and efficiency. This partnership positions both companies at the forefront of what’s likely to become a massive infrastructure upgrade cycle over the next few years.
