Renesas Develops 800V-to-6V Direct Power System for AI Data Centers, Samples Provided to Major Manufacturers
Renesas Electronics is developing a 20kW-class power system that directly converts 800V DC to 6V for AI data centers and has provided samples to major OEMs and ODMs.
Japanese semiconductor company Renesas Electronics is developing a 20kW-class DC power system for AI data centers that directly converts 800V high-voltage DC to 6V low-voltage. According to EE Times Japan, Renesas has already provided samples of this platform to major AI data center manufacturers, including OEMs and ODMs. The company is currently using these samples to validate the power architecture and test foundational technologies.
As power density increases with GPUs and other computing devices, traditional 48V distribution schemes face challenges. Introducing 800V HVDC distribution reduces current and transmission losses, but requires stepping down voltage near the computing devices to levels suitable for chips. Renesas' new system aims to improve overall power supply efficiency and reduce module size by skipping intermediate voltage conversion stages like 48V or 12V. Its whitepaper, "Direct 800V-to-6V Conversion for AI Compute Infrastructure," indicates that the system uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) power devices and resonant LLC converters, targeting an efficiency of over 96% at 20kW output.
It is important to note that this efficiency figure is a prediction based on component loss calculations. Renesas stated that evaluation of actual hardware is still ongoing, and optimized measured data will be released once ready. The system was exhibited as part of the NVIDIA ecosystem partner area at the OCP Global Summit in October 2026.