[Interview] "Korea, a Leader in AI and Semiconductors, Is the Ideal Place for Power DC Transition"

Vincenzo Salmeri, Vice President of Schneider Electric
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"Requests from artificial intelligence (AI) data center companies to build direct current (DC)-based power infrastructure are pouring in."

The alternating current (AC)-centric power infrastructure system, which has been in place for over 130 years, is now being shaken, with direct current emerging as an alternative. Vincenzo Salmeri, Vice President of Schneider Electric, said in an interview with The Asia Business Daily on July 9, "In the past, power infrastructure companies had to convince customers of the advantages of DC technology, but now customers are proactively requesting DC power infrastructure."

Vincenzo Salmeri, Vice President of Schneider Electric, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the company’s office in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

This change is driven by the proliferation of AI data centers. While the current power grid is designed for AC, the core components of data centers, such as semiconductors and graphics processing units (GPUs), operate on DC power. When using the existing power grid, AC electricity must be converted to DC multiple times within the data center, resulting in energy losses and significant heat generation. Salmeri emphasized, "If power is supplied in DC from the outset, many of these issues can be significantly mitigated."

According to Schneider Electric, introducing DC systems in AI data centers can reduce required power by at least 5%. Salmeri predicted that the future power infrastructure will evolve into a hybrid form that utilizes both AC and DC.

He also noted that demand for DC is particularly high in the Korean market, as all of Korea's core industries—semiconductors, batteries, robotics, and electric vehicles—are based on DC. Salmeri stated, "In Korea, the key competitive edge will be the ability to reliably secure the required power when needed, rather than simply minimizing energy usage."

Vincenzo Salmeri, Vice President of Schneider Electric, poses for a photo during a meeting with The Asia Business Daily at the company’s office in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

The main obstacle is the lack of unified standards and certification systems. Since current power regulations and certifications are all based on AC, it is difficult to apply DC systems in industrial settings. The non-profit organization Current/OS Foundation, chaired by Salmeri, was established to fill this gap. Manufacturers, data center operators, and standardization bodies participate to establish installation standards and safety rules for DC power systems. Starting with just two companies five years ago, the consortium has now grown to include about 140 companies.

Salmeri advised that Korean companies should actively utilize such standards. He said, "By leveraging these standards, not only can DC systems be built more safely and efficiently, but companies can also establish a foundation for developing and applying products and solutions based on the same criteria in the global market." He added, "By participating directly in the process of establishing international standards, Korean companies will also secure a more competitive position in the future global DC ecosystem."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.