UC San Diego to Test Innovative Power Technology for AI Data Centers
The San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego will host an $8.48 million project funded by the California Energy Commission to test innovative power technology for AI data centers. This initiative aims to reduce energy waste, lower costs, and improve grid reliability for AI data centers, which consume significantly more electricity than traditional servers. The project also includes a workforce development program to create career pathways in the energy and AI sectors for under-resourced communities.
The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California San Diego's Halıcıoğlu School of Data Science and Computing is spearheading an $8.48 million project, funded by the California Energy Commission (CEC), to revolutionize how AI data centers manage and receive electricity. This initiative positions SDSC as one of the first operational AI data centers in the United States to demonstrate a new power architecture aimed at significantly reducing energy waste, cutting operational costs, and enhancing grid reliability.
At the core of the project is San Diego-based Alderbuck Energy's bidirectional solid-state transformer (SST), which converts medium-voltage AC directly into 800-volt DC, simplifying power delivery. This system, integrated with Emerald AI's computer orchestration software, Emerald Conductor, will allow the data center to become an active participant in grid stability by dynamically adjusting electricity draw for AI workloads. The project expects to serve two megawatts of AI computing load, reduce power equipment footprint by over 50%, and achieve approximately 25% energy savings.
In addition to technological advancements, the project emphasizes workforce development through a partnership with the Good For Others Foundation. This equity-centered program will establish career pathways connecting residents from disadvantaged communities across California with jobs in the rapidly expanding AI and energy infrastructure sectors. San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E) is serving as a utility technical advisor, providing expertise in grid integration and operations, with the goal of developing new flexible load capacity tools for California utilities and policymakers to better plan for large electrical loads.