Navitas Expands its AI Power Architecture With Solid-State Transformers

AI data center power infrastructure supporting next-generation transformer systems.

Power bottlenecks are occurring across the AI architecture. At the rack, as the number of GPUs increases, legacy silicon power chips are approaching their efficiency limits. Upstream, legacy transformers are also approaching their efficiency limits in delivering electricity to AI data centers. Navitas Semiconductor addresses these legacy transformer efficiency limits by extending its silicon carbide power chip technology, previously used to optimize rack power delivery, further upstream into data center power infrastructure. This expansion broadens NVTS’s power architecture beyond the rack and into the data center power infrastructure.

How data center power infrastructure works today

Most data centers still rely on legacy data center power infrastructure, where electricity enters from the grid and passes through legacy transformers that step down high AC transmission voltage. The electricity then moves through power conversion systems that convert it to the lower DC voltages required by the racks.

This infrastructure was designed for conventional data center power requirements and becomes increasingly inefficient as AI data center power demands rise. The reliance on multiple transformers and power conversion systems introduces energy losses that become increasingly significant as power demand increases. As a result, data center operators are deploying more efficient power infrastructure.

Why AI data centers are shifting toward 800V DC

One approach gaining attention is higher voltage direct current distribution, including emerging 800V DC power distribution systems. Higher voltage DC can reduce the number of conversion stages required to deliver electricity to the racks, improving overall system efficiency.

However, delivering power through 800V DC systems requires more efficient transformer infrastructure than legacy transformer infrastructure provides, leading data center operators to upgrade to transformers capable of supporting 800V DC systems.

Solid-state transformers as an emerging infrastructure

One transformer infrastructure capable of supporting 800V DC is the solid-state transformer (SST). Unlike legacy iron-core transformers that passively step voltage down using magnetic components, solid-state transformers replace these magnetic components with power chips. Because they operate using power chips rather than passive magnetic components, solid-state transformers can step voltage down more efficiently than legacy transformers. This makes them particularly relevant for AI data centers deploying higher voltage distribution systems such as emerging 800V DC systems.

Navitas’ solid-state transformer strategy

At the Applied Power Electronics Conference 2026, Navitas Semiconductor introduced a 250-kilowatt solid-state transformer designed specifically for AI data centers. This solid-state transformer was developed in collaboration with École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

For operators evaluating high voltage DC distribution systems such as emerging 800V DC power distribution systems, Navitas’ solid-state transformer architecture offers advantages beyond reducing the number of transformers. Navitas integrates digital control modules with its power chips, allowing the solid-state transformer to integrate the power conversion system directly within the transformer. This enables AC to DC conversion, voltage regulation, and power management to be digitally controlled within a single integrated data center power infrastructure.

Extending the collapsed power stack

NVTS’s solid state transformer announcement further supports the collapsing of the AI data center power delivery stack. Its gallium nitride (GaN) power chips operate close to the GPU for power delivery efficiency, while silicon carbide (SiC) power chips address higher voltage rack level power conversion. Extending its SiC power chips into solid state transformer infrastructure pushes this collapsed power stack further upstream. This increases NVTS’s influence across the power delivery stack. Broader participation across the data center power delivery stack allows Navitas to shape how electricity moves through AI infrastructure rather than functioning solely as a component supplier.

Why this matters

AI data centers are moving toward higher voltage power distribution systems such as emerging 800V DC architectures in order to improve the efficiency of data center power infrastructure. Supporting these higher voltage systems requires new transformer infrastructure capable of delivering electricity more efficiently at scale.

Navitas Semiconductor solid-state transformer infrastructure not only addresses the efficiency limitations associated with legacy transformer and power conversion systems, but also integrates the data center power infrastructure through its power chips and digital control modules. For data center operators seeking an efficient power architecture, Navitas Semiconductor is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook.

Disclosure: This article reflects the author’s personal analysis and opinions and is not investment advice. The author holds shares in Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS) at the time of writing. Images used are independent illustrative renderings and are not official Navitas Semiconductor promotional materials.

RISK PROFILE
Transformer Adoption: NVTS’s expansion into solid-state transformer infrastructure depends on AI data center operators adopting chip based transformer systems as part of the transition toward 800V DC power distribution.