Nitride Global (NGI) and OmniPower have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on advancing materials and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) solutions. The partnership aims to accelerate commercialization and innovation while supporting efforts to modernize the U.S. power grid, an issue the Department of Energy has identified as a major bottleneck in the AI era.
A Grid Under Pressure
The U.S. power grid is facing growing strain. Electricity demand is expected to hit a record 4,239 billion kWh in 2026, fueled by the rapid expansion of AI-driven data centers, increasing EV adoption, and the return of advanced manufacturing to domestic soil.
Without significant upgrades, the outlook is concerning. The Department of Energy warns that blackout durations could rise dramatically, up to 800 hours per year by 2030.
At the same time, the U.S. lags behind globally in HVDC deployment, with only five long-distance lines compared to 30 in Europe and 60 in China.
Bridging Materials and Grid Infrastructure
The NGI-OmniPower partnership brings together complementary strengths. NGI will contribute its advanced materials expertise, while OmniPower will lead commercialization efforts through its network of utilities, data center operators, and government partners.
NGI is one of just four companies worldwide specializing in aluminum nitride (AlN), an ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor material recognized by U.S. agencies as strategically critical.
The company has also developed an advanced packaging and thermal management solution based on aluminum oxynitride (AlON).
This technology enables high-voltage modules with up to 50% lower thermal resistance and can reduce the number of semiconductor dies needed per module by half.
OmniPower, meanwhile, is spearheading HVDC America, an initiative to modernize the U.S. grid through coordinated HVDC deployment.
Backed by Infrastructure Masons, a global coalition representing over 6,000 data center developers and $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment, OmniPower’s Grid-to-Chip (G2C) model brings together government agencies, private capital, and industry stakeholders to fund and deploy HVDC corridors nationwide.
A Step Change in HVDC Technology
Today’s HVDC converter stations rely on silicon-based submodules operating at around 3 kV, requiring thousands of units and sprawling installations that can cover 40 acres or more.
The collaboration aims to change that. By developing a 20 kV-class AlN/AlON-based HVDC power cell with a nominal voltage of 12.5 kV, the partners expect to significantly increase efficiency.
This approach could reduce the number of required submodules by up to 90%, shrinking system footprints and speeding up deployment timelines.
Broader Impact Across Power Electronics
The benefits extend beyond HVDC systems. Research from Oak Ridge National Laboratory suggests that advanced wide bandgap semiconductors can cut data center power consumption by more than 17%.
With AlN offering up to 65% higher efficiency than other advanced materials and AlON improving thermal performance, the combined impact could save up to 62 TWh of electricity annually.
That’s roughly equivalent to powering five million U.S. homes while avoiding 32 million tons of CO? emissions, all without adding new power generation capacity.
Strengthening Supply Chain Security
The partnership also addresses a key strategic concern reducing reliance on foreign semiconductor materials.
By advancing domestic capabilities in critical materials like AlN and AlON, the alliance supports broader efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience and national security.
Leadership Comments
“Modernizing America’s grid is a race we cannot lose. While the EU and China have deployed dozens of HVDC corridors, the U.S. has only five. NGI’s AlN and AlON technologies represent exactly the kind of materials breakthrough that can make HVDC not just viable at national scale, but economically compelling. This MOU is a critical step toward our Grid-to-Chip vision—building the enabling technology layer from the semiconductor up to the transmission line.”
— Henry Lee, Chief Executive Officer, OmniPower, Inc.
“The convergence of AI, electrification, and advanced manufacturing is placing extraordinary demands on a grid that was designed for a different era. This partnership with OMNIPOWER is about ensuring that NGI’s semiconductor and advanced packaging technologies reach the market at the scale and speed this moment demands. Together, we can fundamentally change the equation—delivering dramatically more power through existing infrastructure by solving the problem at the materials level.”
— Mahyar Khosravi, P.Eng., Chief Executive Officer, Nitride Global, Inc.
