AI Data-Center Power Race Shifts Toward HVDC and System Integration

Generative AI is driving up rack power density, with the first data centers consuming as much as 1 GW set to emerge. Traditional 415V/480V alternating-current distribution faces constraints from copper requirements, space and conversion losses, making 800V HVDC a new direction for the industry. Delta Electronics, Lite-On Technology, Vertiv and Schneider Electric are competing to build “Grid-to-Chip” integration capabilities as power systems become critical to AI expansion.

On April 13, 2026, a U.S. brokerage raised its second-quarter revenue outlook for Delta Electronics to 18% quarter-on-quarter growth after the company’s first-quarter revenue exceeded expectations. It also estimated that the market for power systems used in NVIDIA AI racks would grow at a compound annual rate of 60% from 2025 to 2029. Vertiv announced on July 17, 2025, that it would acquire Great Lakes for $200 million, while Schneider Electric paid $850 million for a 75% stake in Motivair to strengthen its rack and liquid-cooling capabilities.