Schneider Electric Joins Forces with Nvidia for AI Data Center Cooling Solutions

Schneider Electric SE is collaborating with Nvidia Corp to create specialized cooling system designs for new artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Announced on Wednesday, these systems will support Nvidia's most advanced servers, equipped with 72 AI chips, and are set to be launched early next year.

While the financial aspects of the partnership have not been disclosed, the shared technical details highlight the significance of the collaboration.

The upcoming servers are expected to draw up to 132 kilowatts of power per rack, necessitating liquid cooling for the most robust models. The shift to liquid cooling for most of Nvidia's chips has triggered a wave of data center activities, including both new constructions and modifications in existing facilities, to accommodate the integration of this new technology.

Aparna Prabhakar, Senior Vice President of Schneider's Secure Power division, emphasized the intense engineering collaboration between the two companies, stating it involves "heavy lifting for both sides."

Schneider Electric's role encompasses all external aspects of the server infrastructure, while Nvidia focuses on internal components.

The cooling designs developed by Schneider are versatile and can be tailored to the number of Nvidia servers and their power requirements. These designs are intended to be sold to cloud service providers and data center operators.

This partnership aligns with Schneider Electric's strategic efforts to enhance its AI data center offerings. Earlier in 2023, the company signed a significant contract with Compass Datacenters, agreeing to supply $3 billion worth of electrical equipment over five years.

This agreement followed a leadership change at Schneider Electric, shortly after the appointment of a new CEO last month.