China puts its first commercial 800V DC data center power system into operation
Envision converts 10kV grid electricity directly into an 800V DC supply
New power architecture combines solid-state transformers with battery storage for AI facilities
China’s Envision claims to have put an integrated 800-volt direct-current power architecture into commercial operation at an AI facility in Inner Mongolia. The installation is located at the Galaxy AI campus in Ulanqab, where trials of its Dubhe controller and supporting energy model began in August 2026. The company describes the deployment as the first commercial use of this configuration, although independent performance figures have not yet been disclosed publicly. A different route from grid electricity to computing hardware
Conventional facilities generally convert incoming electricity through several stages before delivering power suitable for servers and accelerators, adding equipment and potential conversion losses. Envision’s design instead uses a solid-state transformer to convert 10-kilovolt medium-voltage alternating current directly into an 800-volt direct-current distribution line. The company says this arrangement reduces conversion steps, improves electrical efficiency and allows power equipment to occupy substantially less physical space within data centers . A higher-voltage distribution network can also reduce the amount of copper required for cabling, potentially lowering material requirements as computing installations expand rapidly. The architecture includes battery storage intended to respond rapidly when processor demand changes, while also supplying temporary backup during unexpected interruptions…