Infineon Technologies has unveiled a roadmap for power supply units (PSUs) that are particularly made to meet the present and future energy needs of AI data centers while putting an emphasis on energy conservation. This is said to open a new chapter in the field of energy supply for AI systems.
Global data center energy demand is increasing due to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). The necessity for a dependable and efficient energy source for servers is highlighted by this expanding demand.
Infineon helps cloud data center and AI server operators cut down on energy use for system cooling by introducing previously unheard-of PSU performance classes. The cutting-edge PSUs have reduced lifetime running expenses since they use less power and emit less CO2 emissions.
Not only may the formidable PSUs be found in the data centers of the future, but they can also be employed to boost efficiency by replacing the current power supply units in servers.
At some point in the near future, additional 8 kW and 12 kW PSUs will add to the previously existing 3 kW and 3.3 kW PSUs to help further increase the energy efficiency of AI data centers. Infineon will soon provide the first power supply units (PSUs) in the world to reach this level of performance and power the data centers of the future: the 12kW reference board.
“At Infineon, we power AI. We are addressing a critical question of our era – how to efficiently meet the escalating energy demands of data centers,” says Adam White, Division President Power & Sensor Systems at Infineon. “It’s a development that was only possible by Infineon’s expertise in integrating the three semiconductor materials silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN) into a single module. Our PSU portfolio is therefore not only an example of Infineon’s innovative strength, which leads to first-class results in terms of performance, efficiency and reliability for data centers and the AI ecosystem. It also reinforces Infineon’s market leadership in power semiconductors.”
Infineon is adapting to the demands of data center operators by reducing downtime and increasing system efficiency. Power requirements have already increased due to the expansion of server and data center applications, necessitating the development of power supplies with ever-higher power ratings ranging from 800 W to 5.5 kW and beyond.
The rising power needs of Graphic Processor Units (GPU), which are used to calculate AI applications, are the cause of this growth.
By the end of the decade, high-level GPUs will demand 2 kW or more per chip, up from up to 1 kW currently. Data centers will use more energy overall as a result of this.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), data centers might make up as much as 7% of the world’s power usage by 2030, depending on the scenario. This is about the same amount that India uses now.
Hence, even with the continuously increasing energy requirements, the new PSUs from Infineon aid in the endeavor to reduce the CO2 footprint of AI data centers. A very high degree of efficiency that reduces power losses makes this possible.
The latest generation of PSUs from Infineon meets the highest performance standards and achieves an efficiency of 97.5 percent. AI racks with an output of up to 300 kW or more may be supported by the new 8 kW PSU. By increasing efficiency and power density to 100 W/in³ from 32 W/in³ in the currently available 3 kW PSU, operators may save money and the system size will benefit even more.
Technical perspective, this is made feasible by the special fusion of Si, SiC, and GaN, three semiconductor materials. The sustainability and dependability of AI server and data center systems are enhanced by these technologies. Novel semiconductors built on wide-bandgap materials like GaN and SiC are essential for decarbonization because they allow for the economical and thoughtful utilization of energy.
Availability
The 8 kW Power Supply Unit will be available in Q1 2025.
Further Info: CLICK HERE
