Singapore-based ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), yesterday launched FutureGrid Accelerator, Southeast Asia’s first live High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC)-powered AI infrastructure testbed, according to the company’s press release.
Jointly developed by STT GDC and LITEON, and supported by the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and NTU deep-tech spinoff Amperesand, the live testbed enables testings and refining of HVDC’s electrical systems using real AI workloads to demonstrate its effectiveness in addressing next generation high performance computing workload.
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 centre reference architecture with Amperesand’s Solid State Transformer (SST) technology—an enabling innovation for next-generation HVDC deployment.
HVDC overcomes the constraints of traditional alternating current (AC) power systems through saving up to 30 per cent energy, and reducing up to 400 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per megawatt per year, among some of its green benefits.
Switching to HVDC from AC also yields a 30–40 per cent smaller power-infrastructure footprint, in addition to a 45 per cent reduction in copper consumption.
With its compatibility with renewable power sources that are able to feed directly to the direct-current system, it avoids inefficient power conversions. It could thus reliably and at a lower cost, support ultra-high-density racks exceeding 1,000kW.
Due to its wide-ranging benefits, HVDC is considered central to the future of AI data centre architecture, with STT GDC stating that it planned to deploy the pioneering technology at all its future data centres in Singapore and progressively scale adoption across its global operations of more than.100 data centres across 12 geographies.
Located at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) Electrification and Power Grids Centre (EPGC) on Jurong Island, the FutureGrid Accelerator is a foundational technology that supports more efficient, resilient and integrated power system, critical for Singapore’s long-term energy strategy.
“The FutureGrid Accelerator is a strategic investment in Singapore’s long-term digital leadership,” said Bruno Lopez, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres. “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 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 centres and accelerating energy transition across the region.”
MOU Galore
STT GDC also signed a a suite of strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with four Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to build a skilled workforce needed to strengthen Singapore as a global hub for advanced digital and energy systems. The four institutions are Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Singapore Polytechnic (SP), NTU Singapore and National University of Singapore (NUS), benefitting more than 8,000 Singaporeans over the next five years.
Officiated by Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade & Industry, the announcement underscores a national push to build capabilities not only for AI-ready data centres, but also for the wider energy ecosystem, as Singapore and the region pursue net-zero ambitions.
“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,” said Jason Tsao, Head of Direct Current Microgrid at LITEON. “
Prof Lam Khin Yong, NTU’s Vice President (Industrys) said, “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.”
“Amperesand is obsessed with revolutionising Medium Voltage to critical load power delivery for next-generation AI data centres, defence, and other essential electrified assets. We focus on first principles to achieve market leading power density, efficiency, and reliability,” said Brian Dow, CEO and Co-Founder of Amperesand.
“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,” Dow stated.