Envision claims world first with 800 V DC architecture for AI data center

Envision Energy has claimed a major step in the race to power AI by deploying a power system that integrates solid-state transformers (SST) with battery energy storage systems (BESS).

The company announced the project as the world’s first commercial deployment of an integrated 800 V DC power system in a large-scale data center.

Installed at Envision’s Galaxy AI data center campus in Ulanqab, China, the manufacturer’s integrated power system combines SSTs and BESS and equipment that adjusts DC voltage for computing hardware. Envision’s Dubhe Controller, which is supported by its Dubhe energy AI model, coordinates the transformers and batteries in real time to match power supply with computing demand and sudden load swings, according to the manufacturer.

The integrated system works by using stable SST conversion to take power from 10 kV medium voltage to an 800 V DC bus, with battery storage providing both secondary power support and minute-scale backup. The power system uses millisecond-level coordination between the SST and storage to absorb load fluctuations from the graphics processing units (GPU) that do the computational work in the data center.

Data center developers and some of the world’s largest technology companies are pursuing DC architectures at higher voltages to power new facilities with a higher density of computing power per square meter. Typical data centers operate with AC running through the facility to the edge of the computing rack, before it is converted to DC. A higher voltage, DC architecture should mean more compute power per rack.

Envision’s Galaxy campus began operations in August 2026, has a planned capacity of 3 GW and more than 80% of its power is expected to come direct from renewables, according to the manufacturer. The technology company is expected to scale the approach deployed at the Galaxy campus through its Mission Gobi initiative – a program targeting 5 GW of green AI data center capacity in desert regions worldwide by 2030.

Envision is also eyeing expansion in export markets and showcased its AI Power System at The smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich in July. The manufacturer brought a model of its 2.5 MW SST to the show with specifications listing a 10/13.8 kV AC Input, 800 V DC output, and 98.5% conversion efficiency.

In a press release announcing the Galaxy AI data power system, Envision Energy Senior Vice President and President of Energy Storage and AIDC Power Systems Kevin Huang said that AI data centers need power systems that can coordinate renewable energy, energy storage, and the grid to meet computing demand.

“Our integrated 800 V DC system is now powering live computing workloads, demonstrating an end-to-end architecture that connects renewable energy supply with computing demand. This is a critical step in turning power-compute coordination from a strategic vision into an operational reality.”

The data center announcement follows Envision unveiling a new hybrid energy system for the mining and smelting industry at All Energy Australia, combining wind, solar, battery storage, and gas turbines fueled by green hydrogen or green ammonia. Operating projects include an integrated wind and battery storage power system for a green alloy production facility.

From ESS News