ST Telemedia Global Data Centers (STT GDC), a Singapore-based data center colocation provider, has announced the launch of the FutureGrid Accelerator, Southeast Asia’s first live High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC)-powered artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure testbed.

The firm said in a statement on Monday that these initiatives align with national efforts to support talent graduating into a challenging job market, while building the specialized capabilities required for next generation power and digital infrastructure.

The announcement underscores a national push to build capabilities not only for artificial intelligence (AI)-ready data centers, but also for the wider energy ecosystem, as Singapore and the region pursue net-zero ambitions.

Located at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) Electrification and Power Grids Center (EPGC) on Jurong Island, the FutureGrid Accelerator is a pioneering initiative jointly developed by STT GDC and LITEON, supported by the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and NTU deep-tech spinoff Amperesand.

It is the region’s first live testbed demonstrating HVDC integration with real AI workloads, addressing the high-density and high-resiliency requirements of next-generation AI computing.

While central to the future of AI data center architecture, HVDC represents a broader opportunity: it is a foundational technology that supports more efficient, resilient and integrated power systems.

This is critical for Singapore’s long-term energy strategy, its transition to low-carbon energy grids and the region’s increasing need for sustainable power delivery.

It is noted that as AI and high-performance computing workloads scale, traditional alternating current (AC) power systems face inherent limitations.

HVDC overcomes these constraints and delivers several transformative benefits: up to 30 percent overall energy savings compared to conventional AC systems; a reduction of up to 400 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per megawatt per year; 45 percent lower copper consumption and a 30 percent to 40 percent smaller power-infrastructure footprint; the ability to support ultra-high-density racks exceeding 1,000kW, with higher reliability and lower cost; native compatibility with renewable power sources able to feed directly to the direct-current system, avoiding inefficient power conversions.

“The FutureGrid Accelerator is a strategic investment in Singapore’s long-term digital leadership. By bringing together global industry leaders like LITEON with local deep-tech talent such as Amperesand, we are building infrastructure that is ready for future AI workloads while pioneering sustainable practices and setting new benchmarks for energy efficiency and carbon-conscious innovation,

“This initiative reflects our commitment to future-ready technologies and reinforces Singapore’s position as a global Centre of Excellence for advanced sustainable digital infrastructure. It is a bold step forward in shaping the future of data centers and accelerating energy transition across the region,” said Bruno Lopez, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centers.

Meanwhile, Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs & Trade and Industry, said the FutureGrid Accelerator demonstrates how industry and academia can work together to drive innovation and strengthen Singapore’s global leadership in cutting-edge technologies.

“I also welcome STT GDC’s partnerships with ITE and SP, which will add to the suite of training options for the rapidly growing areas of AI and energy-efficient systems,” she added.

The FutureGrid Accelerator will validate HVDC system performance at power loads of at least 325kW, incorporating the latest AI servers.

The environment incorporates LITEON’s data center reference architecture with Amperesand’s Solid State Transformer (SST) technology—an enabling innovation for next-generation HVDC deployment.

STT GDC plans to deploy this technology in future data centers in Singapore and progressively scale adoption across its global operations.

“LITEON is committed to advancing the frontier of power management efficiency, and our collaboration with STT GDC and Amperesand is key to establishing the next standard for sustainable AI infrastructure in Asia,

“By deploying an end-to-end data centre reference architecture and integrated power management system in a live environment with STT GDC and partners, we are validating a high-density, energy-saving solution ready to meet the extreme demands of global technology leaders,” said Jason Tsao, Head of Direct Current Microgrid at LITEON.

Prof Lam Khin Yong, NTU’s Vice President (Industry), said the FutureGrid Accelerator underscores NTU’s role as a strategic partner in shaping the future of sustainable AI infrastructure.

“By integrating cutting-edge HVDC technologies with our research capabilities and the entrepreneurial drive of NTU spin-offs like Amperesand, we are advancing impactful solutions that can significantly enhance energy efficiency and grid resilience,

“This collaboration showcases how universities can drive transformative innovations at the intersection of energy, digitalisation and sustainability,” he added.

Brian Dow, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Amperesand, said the firm is obsessed with revolutionizing Medium Voltage to critical load power delivery for next-generation AI data centers, defense, and other essential electrified assets.

According to him, the firm focuses on first principles to achieve market leading power density, efficiency, and reliability.

“In this era of AI data centre and other critical power systems becoming economic and national security interests for many countries, Amperesand’s MV SST Platform enables in-country cyber-secure controls and data, regionally available supply chains, and low CAPEX intensity local manufacturing,

“Our solution is an intelligent, universal Medium Voltage power source that works on-and-off grid to improve critical infrastructure resilience as new large electrical loads come online,” he added.

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